of the new man arising to succeed in his roome to the possession of soule and bodie which before we possessed by him And thirdly because in the godly this corruption waxeth weake and infirme wearing daily neerer and neerer to death after the manner of old men But it is to be marked that in these two last respects sinfull corruption of nature is named the old man in men regenerate onely and in no other for in men vnregenerate their corruption shall for euer possesse them it increases vpon them and is yong strong and liuely euen when they themselues are weake and wearing to the graue Now aâ—… no birth can be without sorrow nor death without dolour nor circumcision or cutting of the flesh without paine so cannot our regeneration be wrought without godly sorrow and anguish of spirit which I marke for the comfort of the godly that they may know that sanctified troubles of conscience are but the dolours of the new birth and therefore should not be discouraged with them The infant that hath lien but nine moneths in the mothers wombe cannot throng out into the world without paine and thinkest thou to be lighter of sinne wherein thou wast conceiued and borne and which also hath beene so many yeares nourished in thy bowels without paine As Pharaoh grieued Israel forest when they stroue fastest to libertie and as that dumb spirit tormented that yong man worst when he saw he was to be cast out of him Mark 9. 25. So Sathan troubles the godly most heauily when hee sees the time of their deliuerance from his seruitude and bondage neerest But our comfort is that God is faithfull as he begins the worke so will he finish and end it Strong is Sathan indeed but Christ our Lord is that stronger one Pharaoh may repine but hee shall perish and the Israelites of God shall goe through that vncleane spirit in our parting from him may rend vs and cast vs as dead men to the ground but out shall he goe and Christ by his hand shall raise vs vp againe The other part of the Regeneration of the Soule is called as I said the viuification of the new man and the first resurrection where in our heauenly father communicates to vs his owne seed 1. Pet. 1. his nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. and his image 2. Cor. 3. 18. For since earthly fathers beget creatures like vnto themselues shall wee thinke that the heauenly father begets children to another similitude not his owne Surely they doe greatly dishonour the Lord who in their words say they are the sonnes of God and yet in their actions resemble the image of Sathan The Regeneration againe of the body consists also in two first in a right vsing of the members of our body as weapons of righteousnesse to serue God which we are taught to doe by grace Next in a full deliuerance of them from mortalitie and corruption Of this it is cleare that the Regeneration of the whole man will not be perfected till the day of resurrection called for that cause by our Sauiour the Regeneration Matth. 19. 28. Now through grace the Soule liues a happy life in the body thogh not as yet fully clensed and separated froÌ„ sin Out of the body it liues a more happy life being freed from all sin but yet not contented for the soule was not made to liue by it self but in the body and therefore cannot rest contented so long as it wants his owne organe and companion but when the body shall be raised againe and soule body revnited both of them fully deliuered from sinne and from the fruits of sinne then shall our generation which now is begun be perfected and absolued As for our parents in this generation wee haue God for our Father in Christ and Ierusalem which is from aboue to wit the Church of Christ the mother of vs all The Apostle to the Corinthians calles himselfe their Father Though ye haue ten thousand instructers yet haue ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel 1. Cor. 4. 15. And againe to the Galathians hee calles himselfe their mother My little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. But Preachers are onely ministeriall parents yeâ—… for this same should they be honoured of people as their fathers and should againe carrie toward their people no lesse affection then fathers haue to their children specially to procure their euerlasting saluation But here both the naturall mother is to bee discerned from the stepmother and the bastard children from the lawfull for the chast spouse of Christ will receiue no seed into her bosom but the seed of her immortall husband which is the word of God and the lawfull mother of the sonnes of God will not giue them any other milke to feed vpon but the sincere and vnmingled milke of Gods word as Saint Peter calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shee offers to be sucked out of the pappes of the old and new Testament And therefore the Church of Rome which withdrawes these pappes from the mouthes of Gods children or giues them the milke of the word mingled with the Traditions of men pretend what shee will is but a strumpet and stepmother And as there is a stepmother so is there also bastard children they sit vpon the knee of Christs spouse but neuer sucked her pappes to draw life and grace out of her breasts such a one was Cham in the Arke such was Ismael in Abrahams house such was Esau brought vp with Iacob on the knee of Rebecca and alas such are many in our time who in regard of profession are in Gods Church pretending they are sons but are in very deed bastards no way in their life resembling the image of their heauenly father The Censure By these rules it is manifest that all are not Christians indeed who this day vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Senses The Lords Command concerning them THou knowest not how by Nature thou art wretched and miserable blind poore and naked Reu. 3. 17. For the naturall man perceiues not those things which are of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. he sauours onely the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. his wisdome is death for it is enmitie with God verse 6. Hearken therefore vnto my words and keep them in the middest of thine heart Prou. 4. 21. Come and buy from mee eye-salue to annoynt thine eyes that thou maist see Reu. 3. 18. for I am he who maketh both the eye to see and the eare to heare Prou. 20. 12. I will bring forth the blind people and they shall haue eyes and the deafe and they shall heare Esa. 43. 8. He that walks in the darke knows not whither hee goes Ioh. 12. 35. But I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer
learned by experience that euill which before they knew not for their eies were opened to see their nakednesse and they were ashamed of it The eye of the body was made to behold the light that by it wee might see the rest of the creatures and in them the goodnesse of the Creator but if the eye be hurt and wounded non solum auertit se a luce sed etiam poenalis illi sit lux It doth not onely turne away from beholding the light but the light also which otherwise is delightfull becomes painefull to it Sic oculus cordis perturbatus sauciatus auertit se à iustitiae lumine nec audet eam contemplari nec valet So the eye of the soule being hurt and troubled turnes it selfe away from the light of righteousnesse neither dare it neither can it behold it An example whereof we may see in our first father Adam who reioyced at the presence of God so long as he kept a good conscience but from the time the eye of his soule was wounded with transgression he ran away from God hee could not see the Lord as he was woont to doe but was afraid to heare him So cursed and consuming a canker is sin that it changes our sweetest comforts and makes them becom bitter terrors vnto vs. But this sight which wee lost by the sinne of Adam is restored againe vnto vs by the grace of Christ who annoynts our eyes with eye salue by which we are made to see and discerne things that are excellent in a word he indues vs with the gift of faith by which we haue fellowship with God so that we dare in assurance draw neere the throne of his grace Now the eyes of Christs spouse are two by the one we know our miserie which causeth vs denie our selues by the other we know his mercies which causeth vs to runne vnto him Apostate Adam before his restitution by grace had his eyes opened to know his miserie for the knowledge of that good which hee had in the estate of innocencie made him incontinent sensible of that euill into which he had fallen by his Apostacie But now man cannot know his miserie till by the grace of Regeneration his eyes be opened for till that be he knowes no other estate but the estate of sinne wherein hee was conceiued borne and brought vp and which in his darkened cogitation hee esteemes to be good enough vntill such time he be translated into a better Sight once receiued should be diligently conserued for as the eye of the body is very tender and easily offended for which cause God hath guarded it with liddes which close and open most speedily at the pleasure of man so is it with the eye of the mind and therefore the good that may preserue it should be much esteemed and the euill that may hurt it carefully eschewed Three things are required for the help of those spirituall eyes by which the Lord is seene first that wee haue another light beside the light of our owne vnderstanding for sicut Sol sine Sole non videtur ita nec Deus sine deo videri potest as the eye albeit it were neuer so cleare yet can it not see without the light of the sunne so our vnderstanding though it were neuer so quicke cannot attaine to know the Lord vnlesse that he by his owne light reueale himselfe vnto vs in his word And therefore is it that the most wise Naturalists being destitute of this light had their foolish hearts ful of darkenes and became vaine in their owne imaginations The second thing required is that we haue some conformitie with God in holinesse for as no member in the body can perceiue the light of the sunne but the eye by reason of a similitude which is betweene them both of them being appointed vessels and organes of light the one in the great the other in the little world so can no man see the Lord except in some measure he be like him Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see him but without peace and sanctification no man can see the Lord. The third thing required is attention for euen as a tumbling and rowling eye seeth not those things which are before it so a wandring mind not stablished by consideration and diuine contemplation cannot see the Lord. The bodily sight is two manner of waies offended either by exterior dust cast into it or by interior humors stopping the opticke nerues within so Sathan either casteth into our eyes the dongue of the world to blind vs by it or then by our owne grosse and carnall affections stops the conduits of our sight that wee should not see the Lord and therefore both the one and the other should carefully be eschewed If the eye be once offended with the smallest mote we delay not to remedie it but doe implore the help of such as are neerest vs to take it out Since by nature we are so carefull to keep the eye by which we see the sunne how carefull should we be to conserue the eye by which we see him who made the sunne The third Sense restored in the Regeneration is Smelling All the garments of our Bridegroome smell of Myrrhe and Cassia but the virgins onely feele the sauour of his oyntments for which they runne after him they smell in the Gospel the sauour of life and therefore as the Eagle smelling the carrion a farre off resorts vnto it so the Christian senting liuely in the word of Christ Iesus slees speedily after him ascending after him in his affection there where hee is to wit at the right hand of God in heauen But miserable are the wicked for they sauour onely those things which are after the flesh like those vncleane beasts in the Law which creep with all their foure vpon earth senting nothing but dongue the puddle being more pleasant to such filthy swine then the pearle Woe be to them for euen in the Gospel of grace they smell no other thing but the sauour of death The fourth is the Sense of Tasting by which the Christian so tastes the sweetnesse of Gods mercy the sauing grace of Christ in the Gospell that it descends into his bowels to nourish him and make him grow in godlinesse where as the wicked if at any time they taste thereof yet they neuer digest it the corruption of their nature being so strong in them that it suffocates and choakes the seede of the word so that it profits them not to saluation And the last is the sense of touching which in effect is done by beleeuing for tangere Christum est credere in Christum like as the rest of the senses are comprised in faith that iustifies a supernaturall gift which Adam in his innocencie had not but in Christ is giuen vs a most ample gift for it not onely makes
all things our owne in Christ but makes vs all manner of waies to enioy Christ it being most certaine that by faith wee heare him and discerne his voice by faith we see him by faith wee smell him by faith we taste his sauing grace and by faith we so touch him that we draw vertue out of him In Nature that which is the obiect of one sense is not alway the obiect of another as for example a voice is heard by the eare but is not seene by the eie but in the Christian renewed by grace that which is the obiect of any one sense is also perceiued by all the rest And herein hath the Lord made his aboundant loue manifest vnto man for looke what manner of waies a man may enioy any thing that iâ—… good all those waies doth God communicate himselfe to man some good things we enioy by seeing and some by hearing and some by tasting but the Lord not content to communicate himselfe vnto vs by hearing doth also call vs to see him to smell him to taste him to touch him that so all manner of waies we may enioy him euerlasting praise therefore be vnto him Againe wee see that as in nature those things which are learned by Sense cannot be vnderstood of him who is destitute of Sense what auailes it to teach the harmonie of Musicke to him that is without eares or to discourse of the comfortable light of the Sunne to him that is without eies Can any eloquence so well expresse the sweetnesse of hony as it is felt by tasting Sensus enim omni sermone est efficacior But it is more impossible that they who are destitute of these new and spirituall Senses should vnderstand those things which concerne the spirituall life Pitifull then is the ignorance of Naturalists euen of them who seeme to the world to be most wise for surely as the bruit beast vnderstands nothing of the naturall life of man and knowes not how farre it excels that sensitiue life by which it liues and therfore desires not a better because it knowes no better so the naturall man knowes nothing of the excellencie of that spirituall life which the Christian hath begun to liue here and by which he shall liue for euer hereafter and therefore being delighted with his owne miserable life hath not so much as a desire of a better The Censure By these rules it is euident that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER III. Of his New Foode The Lords Command I Am the bread of life hee that comes to me shall not hunger and he that beleeues in me shal not thirst Ioh. 6. 35. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that which endureth to eternall life which the Sonne of man shall giue you Ioh 6. 27. Wherefore doe ye lay out your siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Euery one that thirsts come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse Encline your eares and come to me heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Esa. 55. 1. 2. 3. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this Command O Lord thou who of thine aboundant mercie hast begotten me againe by the immortall seede of thy word in the bosome of Ierusalem thine owne spouse and my mother graunt that I may sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation that so thy louing kindnesse may come to me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise and mine heart may be comforted of thee my God in Christ vnto whom be praise and glorie for euer Another O Thou whom my soule loueth shew me where thou feedest Many say who will shew vs any good but O Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon mee so shalt thou giue mee more ioy of heart then they haue when their wheat and their wine doe abound Bring me into thy wine-seller stay me with thy slagons and comfort mee with thine apples I know O Lord that he who drinks of the water which thou giuest him shall neuer thirst any more but it shall be in him a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life Lord giue me of that water that I may not thirst thou art that bread which came downe from heauen and giues life to the world Lord euermore giue me of this bread that I may be strengthened in the inward man Let thy tender mercies come downe vnto me that I may liue to thee my God for euer in Christ Iesus The Christians Practise of this command HOw sweet are thy commandements to my mouth yea more then hony vnto my mouth Psal. 119. 103. The Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and siluer Psal. 119. 72. My delight shall be in thy commandements which I haue loued vers 47. In mine infancie as a new borne babe I desired the sincere milke of the word that I might grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. afterward comming to age I delight in stronger meat Heb. 5. 14. Hauing by custome my wits exercised to discerne both good and euill ibid. and I know that when I shall be a perfect man hauing attained to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4. 13. the Lord will giue mee to eate of his hidden Manna Reuel 2. 17. he will satisfie mee with the fatnesse of his house and giue mee drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures Psal. 36. 8. THE OBSERVATIONS IN the Law of Moses euery creeping thing that creepeth vpon earth and goeth on the breast was an abhomination and it was not lawfull for Israel to eate thereof this was to signifie that no earthly thing can be a liuely food to nourish true Israelites to eternall life The proper food of a Christian is Iesus Christ offered and presented to vs in the Word and Sacraments receiued of vs by faith digested by prayer for which cause the Word is called our food by S. Peter like as prayer is called our food by Nazianzen quod corpori cibus hoc animae est oratio Looke what meat is to the body that same is prayer to the soule Israel was fed with Manna in the wildernesse and they loathed it it is not so with this bread the more we eate of it the more we desire it so farre is it from working in vs a loathing that it wakeneth in vs a new appetite the more we eate of it the more we desire to be further refreshed by it To the Christian in his infancie the word is milke in his
is esteemed to be worse then indeed he is As a rich man will laugh if he be called poore because he knowes it is false so a Christian when he is charged with euils whereof he knowes he is not guiltie Bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quam in suo testimonio Now as for those troubles which come immediately from God wee ought so much the more patiently to beare them whether they be in our bodies or our goods shall wee receiue good things from him and not receiue euill Moreouer we haue had fathers of our bodies who haue corrected vs at their pleasure and we haue beene subiect to them how much more should wee be subiect to the father of Spirits who alway corrects vs for our profit Yea seeing vnder hope of health wee can be content that Phisitions cut and burne our bodies let vs be ashamed to murmure when the Lord chastiseth vs seeing hee doth it for no other end but that after it wee may enioy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse But how many men shall yee nowfinde professing Christ and yet like vnto those of whom Micah said in his time the best of them are bryers they thinke it religion good inough if they be quiet when none offends them but if you touch them with the smallest iniurie yee shall finde them thistles and thornes to pricke you The Censure And of this also it is manifest that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER XIII Of his Anger The Lords Command BE not of an hasty spirit to be angry for Anger rests in the bosome of fooles Eccles 7. 11. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of Iudgement Math. 5. 22. The discretion of a man differeth his anger and it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence Prou. 19. 11. The foole is knowne by his anger but the wise couereth shame Pro. 12. 16. Cease therefore from anger and leaue off wrath Psal. 37. 8. But if ye be angry sinne not and let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath Ephes. 4. 26. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord thou hast formed mee for thy selfe therefore giue mee vnderstanding that I may learne thy Commandements Poure thy Spirit vpon me from aboue and teach mee in all things to doe that which is good in thy sight Thou art gracious and righteous and teachest sinners thy way specially them that be meeke wilt thou guide in iudgement Deliuer me from wrath contention and debate which are the workes of the flesh and work in me a meeke and a quiet spirit which before thee is a thing much set be so shall I shew by good conuersation my workes in the meeknesse of wisedome to the glory of thy Name through Christ Iesus Amen The Christians Practise of this Command I Am the Lords seruant I will not forget him Esay 44. 21. but will lay vp his words in my heart that I sinne not against him Psal. 119. I will not walke after the stubbornnesse of mine heart that I should not heare the Commandements of my God Ierem. 16. 12. I will not striue but will be gentle toward all men instructing with meeknesse them that are contrary minded 2. Tim. 2. For I haue no such custome as to be contentious 1 Cor. 11. 16. but I cannot for-beare them which are euill Reuel 2. 2. I cannot suffer such as deceiue the seruants of the Lord Reuel 2. 20. saying they are Apostles and are not Reuel 2. 2. for the zeale of thine house hath eaten me and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Psal. 69. 9. Yea my zeale hath consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Psal. 119. 139. THE OBSERVATIONS THat same holy Spirit that descended vpon the Apostles in the similitude of â—…e descended first on the Lord Iesus in the similitude of a Doue to teach vs that in some things we should be patient and meeke in others inflamed with an holy Anger and that both the one and the other are the effects of Gods Spirit In our owne particulars we should be patient in the cause of God wee should be zealous after the example of Moses who was the meekest man vpon the face of the earth but wonderfull angry when he saw God dishonoured by Idolatry hee spared not to put to the edge of the sword those people whom otherwise hee loued most dearely But alas our corruption carries vs a contrary way making vs fierie beyond measure in reuenging our owne wrongs but wondrous cold in pleading the cause of God Anger is a naturall affection by which the soule of man is commoued to remedy the euill done against the will thereof by reuenge I call it a Naturall affection such as God created in Adam in the state of innocency otherwise it had not beene in our blessed Sauiour Now there are two sorts of Anger one carnall which is the worke of the flesh and forbidden another holy which is a worke of the spirit and commanded Alia est ira quam impaâ—…ientia excitat alia quam zelus format illa ex vitio haec ex virtute For the commotion of the minde is according to the mouer thereof if the Spirit of God commoue thy minde it is an holy anger raised for iust causes and tempered in ordinate measure Affectiones dona Dei sunt cum à ratione duce ac imperatore mouentur Affections are the gifts of God when they are moued by Reason as their leader and commander and in speciall Iracundia moderate spirans Zeli est armatura moderate Anger is the armour of Zeale But if the Spirit of Sathan commoue thy minde he raiseth an anger which eyther is vniust or at least so immoderate that thou neyther canst keepe vnder it reuerence toward thy God loue toward thy nighbour nor compassion toward thy selfe This carnall Anger is a raging euill Momentanea insania a momentanie madnesse said Basil compositum malum a compound euill of many euils said Nazianzen Spirituum legio a legion of many euill spirits by which the will of him who was the first murtherer of man is satisfied and many horrible euils are effected It casteth off all reuerence of God for the man this way angry doth set himselfe in the roome of God and would haue the Lord subiect to him as his seruant to execute without delay all that wrath hee wisheth for by cursed imprecations It disioyneth a man from God and makes him like to the diuell in rerum natura quid mitissimum an non Deus quaenam natura biliosa est ea quae hominem peremit De his tibi quamvis partem elige nam vtramque non licet habere the
of Idols which are to be abhorred as the Iewes who called the workes of their owne hands Baali my Lord or as Micah did who when they of Dan had taken his Idols from him he ranne crying and lamenting after them ye haue taken away my gods and what more haue I as if all were gone when they were gone The Ethnickes may make them ashamed who by Natures light saw that this was vanitie Plato disswaded the people from hauing Gods of gold least they should expone them vnto theeues and Fabius when he spoiled Tarentum tooke not away their Idols relinquamus inquit Tarentinis Deos suos iratos let vs leaue vnto the Tarentines their Gods angry at them for these Gods that could not defend Tarentum will neuer defend Rome But the light of the Word doth more cleerly instruct the Christian that the Gods which made not heauen and earth should not haue place on earth except it be to be burnt vnder an oake as Iacob did with them farre lesse will hee giue them any honourable place in his tongue to name them with any reuerence Against the third Commandement the tongue is abused in the vaine idle and vnreuerent vsing of the Name of God to the smallest toy and trifle which doth occurre It was Sacriledge for any man to annoint his owne flesh with the holy Oyle which was appointed for the Tabernacle much more sacriledge is it to abuse the Name of God vnto follyes which are neyther for his glory nor mans edification Yet this abusing of Gods Name in idle and foolish talking is counted a necessary recreation to passe the time withall but why doe not men remember that they must giue an account of idle talking or why are men so prodigall as for to spend the time of Grace which God hath lent them that in it they might be reconciled with him in vnprofitable and vaine sports which doe encrease their enmitie with him No merchant will spend the time of his market any other way but in buying or selling Or will the Husband-man when seed-time comes let it goe by and delight himselfe in matters of smaller importance what folly then is this that the time of Grace wherein wee should make peace with God is passed ouer with vaine and merry talking among men Beside this by rash and vnnecessary swearing this Commandement is broken An oath saith the Apostle is the end of all Controuersie it is the last refuge whereunto Truth runneth for credit for three wayes haue wee to confirm our speech first affirmation or denial when this is not credited then we goe to asseueration when this also can haue no place then we goe to swearing but that which is the last band of Truth now men commonly doe make it the first Yea many not content in simple manner to sweare by the Name of God as if that were too base a thing for such hautie spirits as theirs are proceed in their blind presumption to more horrible oathes by the bloud the wounds and the body of the Lord by which they were redeemed thereby proclaiming to all the world that the loue and reuerence of God was neuer in their heart It is recorded of a certaine Iudge who hauing three of the children pleading before him for the goods of their defunct father he tooke vp the dead body and set it to them as a mark promising that which of them shot neerest his heart should be made possessor of all his goods whereupon the first did shoot the second also but the third refused whom for that cause the Iudge adiudged to be possessor of all his fathers goods as the most kindly and naturall sonne of the three Thus as Salomon tryed the right mother by her kindly affection toward her Childe so this Iudge tryes the right childe by his kindely affection toward his father But if the professors of this age were tryed by this rule many of them would be found to be none of the sonnes of God for they spare not to shoot the venomous arrows of their blasphemous speeches against the heart of their heauenly Father against the blood the wounds and the body of their blessed Redeemer for so Leuit. 24. 11. the blasphemer is said to haue pierced the heart of God The offences of the tongue against the fourth Commandement are especially two the first is rash vttering of prayers or praises without sanctification or premeditation going before Be not rash with thy mouth neither let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God The other is speech in hipocrisie whereby men draw neere to God in their mouthes while they are farre from him in their harts the Lord loues truth in the inward affections and delighteth to be worshipped in spirit and truth otherwise if we haue him in our mouthes and not in our hearts fearefull is our recompence for hee shall haue vs in his mouth to spue vs out not in his heart to keepe vs for euer with himselfe Thus wee see how the tongue is abused to transgresse the Commandements of the first Table but here the vnrulinesse thereof rests not it proceedeth also against the second Table for the tongue which is not rightly ordered toward God will neuer be reuerent toward men nor spare to dishonour euen those whom most of all they are bound to honour There are three comely ornaments of our speech toward all men first truth secondly loue thirdly meekenesse and modestie For first wee should see that wee speake the truth secondly that we speake it in loue thirdly with meekenesse But in speaking to our superiors wee ought to ioyne the fourth which is reuerence if wee be not silent in the presence of our betters as Elâ—…hu was at the presence of the ancients at least let vs speake with reuerence as Sarah is commended for that shee spake reuerently to her Husband Against the sixt commandement the tongue is an instrument of transgression many wayes for moe are slaine with the tongue then with the hands as Daniels accusers flew him with their false accusing tongues when they durst not stir him with their hands Therefore Dauid compares an euill tongue to the venome of Aspes to Iuniper coales and to arrowes and indeed it is worse then any of these As for the venome of Aspes ther are Antidotes to preserue thee from it but what will keep thee from the sting of an euill tongue not Innocency it selfe And Iuniper coales though they be very hot burne none but such as touch them but the euil tongue hurts them that neuer offends it and for the arrow distance of place will defend thee from it but goe where thou wilt the malice of an euill tongue shall still persecute thee The seauenth Commandement is transgressed by the filthy and corrupt communication of the tongue for filthinesse conceiued in the heart imployes the tongue to prepare a way for committing of
will I eate of meates sacrificed to Idols or otherwayes forbidden whereby my God should be offended The fatherlesse also doe eate thereof and I will not eate my morsels alone Iob. 31. 17. I will poure out my soule to the hungry Esay 58. 10. and send a part to the poore for whom none is prepared Nehem. 8. 12. THE OBSERVATIONS THe Lord our God hath dealt very liberally with the Christian as concerning his meat for hee hath not onely giuen him euery greene hearbe but euery thing also that moueth and liueth hath God giuen him for meat Gen. 9. 3. yea all his creatures hath he subdued to serue man man being a seruant to his God according to that of the Apostle All are yours and ye are Christs But the wicked eye of that euill one enuies that man should enioy this great goodnesse of God and therefore as he tempts man to think that meat lawfull which God hath proclaimed to be vnlawfull for so he did to our Parents in Paradice so also he tempts man to count that meat vnlawfull which God hath proclaimed to be lawfull that so by one of two extremities he may snare the consciences of men This is that Doctrine of diuels so called by the Apostle which forbids to marrie and commands to abstaine from meat which God hath created to be receiued with thanks 1. Tim. 4. 4. and now is set out to the world by that Apostate Church of Rome vnder the shew of holinesse and truth for so vnto some men they command abstinence from all flesh at all times as to their Charter-house Monkes to others they command abstinence from flesh at certain times and that not for fasting and prayer onely but because forsooth in the dayes of Noah all flesh was accursed but not the fish Is not this to binde the Conscience where God hath made it free Is not this to pollute that which God hath purified Act. 10. 15. Woe be vnto them for they put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse they speake good of euill and euill of good Esay 5. 20. And yet the Christian notwithstanding that God hath giuen him this libertie hath a great care that hee vse not his libertie as an occasion to the flesh therefore in eating hee hath first a respect to God that hee offend him not in the vsing of his creatures secondly a respect to his brother that hee offend him not and thirdly a respect to himselfe that his Table be not a snare to him and the nourishment of his bodie become not the nourishment of sinne in his body First then in eating hee lookes vp to GOD and receiues his meat with prayer and thanksgiuing and that for two causes For hee knowes that man liues not by bread onely but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God and that it is not the meat but the blessing of God that continues life for if it were then they who are best fed would proue most liuely and healthfull but we see the contrary by experience that as Daniel grew better vpon his pottage then the other children did on the Kings portion so are poore laborers more healthfull and liuely then they who are more delicately nourished Againe hee knoweth that in euery creature Sathan hath laid his secret snare to trappe him and therefore doth hee eate circumspectly so putting downe his hand and his head to those creatures which are beneath him that hee also lifts vp his eyes and his heart to God who is aboue him not vnlike to the watchfull Cock of whom Naturalists write that when with the one eye hee doth looke downe to his meate with the other hee doth looke vpward least any rauening Bird vnwares should come vpon him And as patient Iob when his children were banquetting sent for them sanctified them and sacrificed for them euery day fearing least they had sinned and blasphemed God in their harts so the Christian knowing the malice and subtiltie of Sathan fearing his owne weaknesse armeth himselfe before meat at meate and after meate with continuall prayer Secondly the Christian so regardeth himselfe in eating that hee keepeth a dutie to his neighbour for albeit all things be lawfull to him yet will he not eate of any meat whereby his brother may be offended And as for them who are in necessitie hee is mindfull of them that of his abundance something may be forth-comming to them Worldlings like churlish Nabal doe account all that they haue their owne Shall I take my bread and my flesh said he c. 1 Sam. 25. 11. and they cannot suffer willingly any thing to goe by their owne mouthes as if they onely were the sonnes of God for whom all things were made but the Christian deales his bread to the hungry hee will not eate his morsels alone as Iob doth protest of himselfe at least with godly Nehemiah hee will haue a care to send a part to the poore for whom none is prepared The third point of the Christians discretion in eating doth respect himselfe if his portion be small hee vseth it with contentment hee doth know that God is the great steward of the whole familie who giueth to euery one of his Children their portion in due measure as he knoweth to be meetest for them and therefore will hee not murmure in any case If againe his portion be more then may content him hee doth vse it with sobrietie for Temperance is not so well knowne in want as it is in wealth To abstaine when thou hast not may be of compulsion but in the middest of wealth to be continent is great sobrietie As Sathan got the vantage of Adam and Euah by tempting them to eate of forbidden meate so hee doth seeke vantage of their children by tempting them to eate in a forbidden measure And as a Citie without wals is an easie pray to a stronger enemie so is a man saith Salomon who cannot restraine his appetite Intemperance is not onely a sinne but a mother of many sinnes and therefore is Sathan the more carefull to driue inconsiderate men vnto it For first toward thy God it doth make thee vnable eyther to giue him seruice or to receiue any good from him hee that is ouercome of surfetting can neither pray to God nor praise him nor yet receiue any Grace from him As in mirie and watry places nothing groweth were the seede neuer so good which is sowne in them so in a heart ouercome with drunkennesse which is as Augustine called it magna animae submersio a great drowning of the soule no instruction can take place wherefore wisely did Abigail who tolde not Nabal his folly till his wine was gone from him Neither doth it onely inable vs to doe good but prouokes vs also to manifold euils against the Lord our God as Israell sat downe to eate and rose vp to play so when men haue
stuffed their bellyes aboue measure they are exalted against God and then they fall to their blasphemies raylings wantonnesse and all sort of inordinate behauiour The first man blotted with drunkennesse in holy Scripture was Noah then his nakednesse was discouered and his owne child did mocke him hee stands for an example to the worlds end that the reward of drunkennesse is the manifestation of a mans owne shame By it thou commest into contempt with those who of all others are most bound to hauâ—… thee in honour and reuerence The second was Lot and hee by drunkennesse was easily drawne to commit incest with his owne daughters for drunkennesse is Sathans Dalilah if once by her deceit the spirituall Philistims that are against vs twinne vs and our strength they shall easily make a play-foole of vs and draw vs into all kinde of licentiousnesse Secondly it draweth thee to enormious offences against thy neighbour to whom is woe to whom strife to whom murmuring to whom wounds without cause euen to them who tarrie long at the wine they sit downe with peace they rise with warre and where no quarrell is drinke doth make discord euen to the shedding of bloud yea oftentimes to death it selfe And thirdly it bringeth vpon thy selfe manifold inconueniences both of soule and body Iustly did Plinius call an intemperate man a prodigall man of his owne life it doth weaken the naturall senses so that a drunkard can not discerne betweene a friend and a foe a shadow and a body Wherefore Basil called it Mortem momentaneam and compared such as are ouer-come with it to the Idols of the Gentiles who haue eyes and doe not see tongues and doe not speake and feete and cannot walke Neyther are these the least effects it worketh in the body for it weakeneth greatly the naturall life drowneth the radicall moisture and breedeth most dangerous diseases it corrupteth the stomach infecteth the breath darkneth the eyes loseth the ioynts and hastneth death thus a drunkard becommeth his owne executioner and in Gods righteous iudgements his life is shortened by the same meanes by which hee thought to prolong it And which yet is worst of all a drunkard is prophane like Esau. As the one sould his birthright for a mease of pottage so the other doth sell his part of Gods eternall kingdome for a belly-full of drink for the Scriptures telleth vs that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdome of God But to returne three things are to be obserued of a Christian in his eating first that hee eate not forbidden meat secondly that he eate not in a forbidden measure and thirdly that hee eate not in a forbidden manner Forbidden meate is whatsoeuer God hath not giuen with his blessing but man vsurpes eyther by oppression theft deceit rapine or any other such like vnlawfull meanes Dauid in his great extremitie of thirst would not drinke the water of the Well of Bethleem and that because three of his valiant men had brought it to him with the hazard and danger of their liues through the huge armie of their enemies the Philistims and farre lesse will a Christian liue on the bread of oppression and bloud of the poore But were the meat neuer so lawfull his next care is to take diligent heed that hee eat not in a forbidden measure For as Manna gathered more then was commanded turned into wormes so meat and drinke receiued in greater measure then wee should in stead of being helpfull doth become hurtfull vnto our bodies Yet now in drinking nothing is more spoken of then measure and nothing lesse done then to drinke by measure Nouum genus mensurae inuentum est in quo nulla est mensura vt per poculorum aequalitatem nulla inter homines sit inuidia there is now a new kinde of measure wherein there is no measure that by equalitie of cups among men there should be no enuie nor contention This euill damned by Basil continued not the lesse to the dayes of Augustine whereof hee complaineth that they thought no shame ad mensuram sine mensura bihere in the which strife hee that may drinke most laudem meretur ex crimine From this most filthy custome he exhorteth them to flye as from the poison of the diuell calling drunkennesse procured by it Patrem superbiae matrem omnismali sororem luxuriae And last of all when both the meate and the measure is lawfull yet the Christian hath a care to eate also in a lawfull manner not grudging nor murmuring at his portion not longing for a more delicate food then GOD hath allowed vnto him but content with that which the Lord hath giuen him hee doth looke downe to the poore to giue them a part and doth looke vp vnto God to giue him thankes The Censure But now the want of this Christian disposition in many euidently proues that all are not Christians indeed who now falsly vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VI. Of his Hands The Lords Command BLessed is the man that keepeth his hands from euill doing Esay 56. 2. Consecrate therefore your hands to the Lord Exod. 32. 29. that in euery place 1 Tim. 2. yee may lift vp your heart with your hands to God in heauen Lam. 3. 41. to praise his name Psal. 134. 2. If iniquitie be in thy hand put it farre away Iob. 11. 14. for hee whose hands are pure shall increase his strength Iob. 17. 9. And because there shall euer be some poore in the Land I command thee that thou open thine hand to thy brother to the needy and to the poore in the Land Deut. 15. 11. Let not your hands be weake for your worke shall haue a reward 2 Chron. 15. 7. Mâ—…ddle with your owne businesse and worke with your owne hand as I commanded you 1 Thes. 4. 11. Hee that sâ—…ole let him stealâ—… no more but rather let him worke with his owne hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Ephe. 4. 28. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command LEt not O Lord the worke of mine hands be against thee to prouoke the eyes of thy glory But let thy beautie be vpon mee to direct the worke of my hands that they may be kept innocent and pure that so the lifting vp of mine hands may be vnto thee as the euening sacrifice and thou maist accept the work of mine hands through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command I Wil wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and compasse thine Altar Psal. 26. 6. I will shake mine hands from taking of gifts Esay 33. 15. No blot shall cleaâ—…e to them Iob. 31. 7. I will strengthen mine hands to good Nehe. 2. 18 labouring and working with my owne hands 1 Cor. 4. 12. so that by them I minister to my necessities Acts. 20. 34. Yea of
feare and confidence consists not it is otherwise in the Christian. 2 As a Rocke in the Sea beaten with the waues of euery winde so is a christian in the world 3 The confidence refuge of a Christian in such troubles as come from God immediately Hosea 6. 1. Iob. 4. 4 The confidence of a Christian in such troubles as come by men Matth. 27. 5 Hee knowes the harts of men are in the hands of God 6 The confidence of a Christian in such troubles as come by Sathan 7 The confidence of worldlings is eyther in themselues Luke 18. 13. 8 Or in others without them 9 How in trouble outward and second meaâ—… are to be vsed 10 Miserable are the wicked whose confidence is not in God The matter of a Christian mans ioy is 1 The Lord our God 2 Our owne saluation 3 The prosperitie of the Church 4 Sufferings with Christ. 5 All the gifts of God The Christians ioy is tempered with feare a Psal. 89. 16. b Psal. 119. 77. c Psal. 51. 6. d Rom. 15. 13. 1 The Christian reioyceth first in God and that saluation conquered for him by the Crosse of Christ. 2 What a ioy the Christian hath in the word of God And in the house of God 3 How the Christian reioyces in well doing albeit hee should suffer euill for it The welfare of Gods Church is also a ioy to the Christian. The conuersion of a sinner reioyceth the Christian. Hee hath ioy in all Gods gifts as in the tokens of his loue 1 Man by his fall lost not the affections but the holinesse of them 2 Neyther doth Christs grace take away affections but onely rectifies them 3 The nature of ioy Psal. 89. 16. Basil. de grat Deo agendis 4 Ioy is eyther naturall or spirituall 5 The obiects of naturall ioy are Gods gifts abused Sathans bâ—…its disguised 6 How Gods gifts are abused by the wicked 7 Abuse of Gods gifts punished in the wicked 8 Naturall men haue their ioy in that which is their destruction 9 How they reioyce in the baites of Sathan disguised Gregor Moral lib. 20. Serm. 8. 10 They are like birds eating meat vnder the fowlers net 11 Their ioy compared to the burning of a Candle 12 Three properties of a Christans ioy it is 1. Solid 2. Internall 3. Eternall 13 Obiects of a Christians ioy are first God 14 Then Gods benefits principall 15 And secondarie Mourners for sin are blessed and marked of God To worldlings sinne is a ioy correction a griefe to the christian by the contrary sinne is a griefe correction a ioy a Esay 66. 1. b Psal. 51. 10. c Ierem. 9. 1. d Esay 38. 15. e Psal. 126. 5. The life of a Christian is fraughted with heauinesse that 1. For his owne sinnes 2. For his absence from the Lord. 3. For the sinnes and abhominations committed by others 4 For the trouble of the Church 5 For euery one that is in trouble 1 Our ioy in this life not without griefe 1 Pet. 1. 5. 6. 2 Comfort is sometime scant euen in the heart of the Christian. 3 Causes of griefe arising from our selues are threefold 4 A man so long as he is in his sinnes thinkes them no cause of griefe 5 An example hereof in Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 25. 6 Another in Paul 7 When God looses a man from sin he binds him to an hatred of sinne Why the memory of sinne remaineth when the guilt thereof is remoued 8 Persian Kings could suffer no mourners in their presence but it is not so with God 9 The Lord liketh our mourning countenance best Cant. 2. 14 10 The Christians tentations are a griefe to him 11 And his manifold crosses 12 And the troubles of Gods Church Nehem. 2. 3. 13 And the long delay of that promised Kingdome Aug. de sanct serm 45. Psal. 56. 14. Ioy and griefe agree not in worldlings it is otherwise in Christians Macar hom 15 Let them mark this who do think their tentations singular and that none of Gods children wer troubled euer so sore as they a Psal. 77. 7. b Esay 63. 15. c Ierem. 15. 18. d Psal. 13. 2. e Deut. 4. 31. f Esay 42. 3. g Iob. 5. 11. h Iob. 13. 24. i Lam. 1. 20. k Esay 57. 16. l Psal. 6. 2. m Ierem. 10. 24. n Iob. 7. 20. o Psal. 51. 9. p Psal. 51. 12. Euery tentation hath an issue Comfort against spiritual desertions Gods mercy to his Children is sure euerlasting 1 The greatest griefe is griefe of Conscience Prou. 19. 2 The health of conscience consists in two things 3 Where-from the disease of conscience proceeds to wit 1 When God forsakes it and takes away the sense of mercy then is the soule sore troubled 4 2. But when hee pursues it with a sense of his wrath then it is worse troubled 5 Trouble of minde distempers the whole body Psal. 32. Bern. in paruis serm 48. August in Ioan. tract 19. 6 The first of these spirituall troubles compared to a lingring disease 7 The second to a fearefull consumption Bern. in assump Mariae serm 4. 8 For three causes doth the Lord exercise his Children with these inward sufferings 9 The wicked are not grieued with the absence of God because they neuer felt the comforts of his presence The praise of Patience What neede wee haue of Patience The cause should be good for which we suffer The fruit of Patience a Psal. 115. 14. b 1 Cor. 1. 7. c Colos. 1. 10. d Colos. 1. 11. The christian waiteth on the Lord whereas the worldling runs about seeking reliefe and rest in other things but can neuer finde it 1 The Gospel a mirror wherein we see the similitude of Gods Image and are transformed into it 2 The light and goodnesse of God is extended vnto all men 3 But his Image is communicated to his children onely How wee may know whether we be Gods workman ship by the new creation or no. 4 Patience is reformed also in our regeneration 5 A description of the Nature of Patience Hebrewes 10. 6 Patience suffers not the euils of sinne but the euils of affliction 7 Patience necessary for two causes 1. Because the good that God hath pro misâ—… dis not presently performed 8 2. Because of the present euils wherwith now wee are exercised 9 No peace between the elect and reprobate But in this discord the reprobate are alwayes the persecuters 10 As a rocke in the sea so is a Christian in the earth 11 The principall praise of Patience 12 By Faith we possesse Christ by Loue our neighbour by Patience our selues 13 Patience preserues the other Graces of the Spirit Tertul. de patien 14 It mittigates euill and makes heauy crosses easie August Marc. Epist. 5. August de Patien chap. 2. 15 Three waies chiefly is our Patience impugned by Sathan Bern. in coâ—…uers Pauli 16 Troubles comming from euill men should not commoue vs and why 2. Sam. 16. 12. 17 Wicked men are but
33. i Deut. 33. 23. The Christian eateth his meat with thanksgiuing With contentation of his owne minde With Charitie toward others 1 Sufficiency of food allowed by God to man 1 Cor. 3. 12. 2 Sathan makes man count it lawfull meat which God cals vnlawfull or by the contrarie 3 Doctrine of Diuels defended by Papists Durand lib. 6. cap. de alijs Ieiunijs 4 Thus they pollute that which God hath purified 5 How the Christian in eating respecteth God his neighbor and himselfe 6 First he respecteth God and receiueth his meat with prayer 7 For it is not bread but Gods blessing that maintains life 8 In euery creature Sathan hath a snare therefore he eateth circumspectly 9 As Iob in banquetting sacrificed for his children so the Christian for himselfe and others 10 Secondly hee respecteth his brother and will not eate to offend him 11 Hee hath a respect also of them who are in necessitie 12 Thirdly hee respecteth himselfe eating with contentment temperance 13 Temperance is not so well knowne in want as in wealth 14 Sathan tempts eyther to forbidden meate or to forbidden measure 15 Intemperance is both a sinne and a mother of many sinnes 16 It makes a man vnable for all spirituall exercises 17 It prouokes him to manifold euils and that first against God 18 The first example of drunkennesse that euer was in the world 19 The second example 18 It prouoketh also man to euil against his neighbour Prou. 23. 29. 19 What euill it doth to a man himselfe Plin. lib. 24. c. 22 20 A drunkard in gods iudgement becomes his owne executioner 21 More prophane then Esau. 22 Three rules to be obserued in eating by a Christian. 23 First that he eate not forbidden meate 24 Secondly that hee eate not in a forbidden measure 25 Drinking by measure without measure a customable sinne now Basil. de ebriet 26 The same sin damned in the dayes of Basil and Augustine Aug. de temp Ser. 131. 27 Thirdly that hee eate not in a forbidden manner How the hands of a Christian should be gouerned toward God Toward the poore And in his owne vocation a Esay 3. 8. b Psal. 90. 17. c Psal. 24. 41. d Psal. 141. 2. e Deut. 33. 11. Hands vncleane idle bloudy blackt with bribes not open to the poore are not the hands of a Christian. 1 Hee is a monstrous man who hath a mouth to speake eate and hath no hands to doe good 2 Idlenesse was not suffered by God nay not in innocent Adam Gen. 3. 19. 3 The wages of an idle man is that he should want his meate 4 Euery man hath something wherein he should worke 5 The actions of a Christians hand are three 6 The first is to lift them vp to God by prayer Psal. 127. 2. 7 For mans labour in any calling is nothing without gods blessing 8 Actions begun and prosecuted with prayer cannot but prosper 9 The second action is to worke with them in our calling 10 Religion takes not away lawfull trades and vocations 11 Onely it corrects the abuses of them 12 The third action is to stretch them out to the poore 13 Why God hath made some rich others poore 14 As we take from God so should we giue to the poore Deut. 15. 7. 15 Liberalitie toward the needie recommended by the example of God 16 And of his creatures 17 Specially of the Sunne Cloudes Trees yea and of the Angels 18 A more blessed thing to giue then to receiue 19 Worldlings liue like monsters of the earth 20 Compared to the lake of Sodome 21 If worldlings giue they are like clouds powring raine on the Sea 22 Motiues to almes giuing 23 He which keepes that which God bids giue doth lose it 24 How he punisheth such by his officers 25 How otherwise also hee crosseth them 26 The gaine we get by giuing is more then that which we giue 27 This is manifested by the example of the widdow and Elijah 28 What vantage hee reapes who rightly giueth almes Amb. ossic lib. 1 cap. 30. 29 Hee that ministreth to the necessities of the poore doth him selfe more good then he doth them Nazian orat 46 in ecclesiast How the Christian is commanded to gouerne his feet by measure and rule a 1 Sam. 2. 9. b Esay 35. 8. c Psal. 5. 11. d Psal. 17. 5. e Psal. 119. 5. f Luke 1. 79. a Ierem. 10. 23. b Psal. 43. 6. c Psal. 5. 10. d Psal. 119. 133. The feet of a christian how they are refrained from euil And directed to good 1 Mans first and last glory is to haue the Image of God 2 How miserable are they who shall be found to want gods Image Ierem. 2. 21. 3 Sathan first and last enuieth this Image of God in man 4 The grace of regeneration teacheth vs also how to gouerne our feet Eccles. 12. 3. 5 The feet of man artificially made by God 6 That in the basest part of his body man might haue cause to praise God 7 But by nature the canker of sin hath run from the heart to the feet also 8 For naturally mans feet are impotent to good 9 But nimble inough and able to euill 10 The Christian by regeneration receiues the right vse of them 11 For he walkes after God as a seruant after his Master 12 And therefore delights to haunt those places wherein most frequently his Master appeares that is holy assemblies 13 With his feete hee treads vpon earth but vvith his face he looke to heauen 14 So the vvhole Church is described hauing the World vnder her feete 15 Thus vvalking on earth hee keepes an heauenly minde 16 For in all his vvayes he lookes eyther to Gods command or his license 17 Sathans snares laid in all his vvayes 18 Against vvhich the Christian armeth himselfe vvith prayer consideration 19 Seeing vve looke to tread Sathan vnder our feet let vs not pollute them 20 God hath honored vs by subduing all his vvorkes vnder our feet let vs not dishonour them 21 In that our Sauiour once vvashed his Disciples feet it vvas to teach vs all to vse our feet in holinesse and humility Company vvith the vvicked forbidden Cor ◅anting and marrying with them much more forbidden a Psal. 26. 9. b Prou. 2. 13. c Psal. 141. 4. d Psal. 119. 79. e Psal. 16. 3. f 1 Iohn 4. 10. How the Christian flyeth the company of the wicked But delights in the companie of them who feare the Lord 1 Man by creation made a sociall creature Gen. 2. Eccles. 4. 9. 2 Angels delight in mutuall societie and fellowship 3 How this good ordinance is abused to two extremities for some run to the solitarie life 4 Which is neither so profitable for Gods glory nor good of the Church as is the publicke Born in Cant. Serm. 12. 5 Solitarie life repudiates Charitie in the iudgement of Nazianzen Nazian erat 33 in laudē Heronts Chrisost. de Sacerd lib. 6. 6 The superstitious folly of Eremits now rebuked 7 On the other extremitie are they who liue in fellowship but not conioyned by the right band 8 Some keepe companie onely of custome as the beasts doe Aug. hom 38. 9 Others are moued to keepe company by selfe-loue 10 Some by similitude of manners 11 Similitude of good manners is the sureest band of friendship Amb. offic lib. 2 cap. 12. 12 A Christian flyeth the companie of the wicked for feare of the euill they may doe him 13 How dangerous their company is in the iudgement of Gods spirit 14 Men of excellent graces haue beene hurt by the company of the wicked 15 A Christian also slies the company of the wicked for feare least he doe them euill 16 A Christians respect in all companie is first to doe good 17 Secondly to get good Rom. 12. 8.
was dead in sinne and trespasses Eph. 2. and of his aboundant mercie hath begotten me to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus from the dead 1. Pet. 1. 3. and hath giuen me power to be one of his sonnes borne againe not of blood nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 13. for of his owne will he begat me with the word of Truth Iam. 1. 18. Of a seed not mortall but immortall the word of God who liues and endures for euer 1. Pet. 1. 23. As the wind blowes where it lusts and wee heare the sound thereof but cannot tell whence it comes nor whither it goes so is euery man who is borne of God Ioh. 3. In the naturall generation we cannot tell what way the bones grow in the wombe of her that is with child Eccles. 11. 5. Farre lesse can wee know the vnsearchable waies of God Rom. 11. 33. In this new generation it is the Lords doing and is marueylous in our eyes Psal. 18. 23. His holy name be blessed therefore for euer and euer THE OBSERVATIONS ELection is the first spring that flowes from the bottomlesse fountaine of Gods loue but for a long time it runnes so secret that we cannot see it till it breake forth and appeare in our Regeneration or effectuall calling Regeneration is the first manifest effect of Gods mercie toward a man as wee could not be men if we had not beene conceiued and borne so can we not be Christian men vnlesse we be borne againe Therefore it is that when Nicodemus a Master in Israel was to be made a Disciple of Christ the first Doctrine that our Sauiour taught him was of Regeneration And it stands as a rule for all men in Christs schoole If any man will be my Disciple let him denie himselfe Now both learned and vnlearned liue as if Christianitie consisted in speaking and professing but sure it is the kingdome of God is not in word but in power and practise and he hath not learned Christ who hath not learned to cast off the old man who is corrupted through deceiueable lusts In the first generation wee were begotten men by the will of fleshand blood in the second we are begotten Christian men by the will of God In the first our mortall father begat vs to succeed him in the second our immortall father hath begotten vs for euer to abide with him By the first wee may say to corruption thou art my father and to the wormes yee are my brethren and sisters by the second wee may say to God thou art my father and to Iesus Christ elect Angels and holy men ye are my brethren For in the first we were conceiued and borne in sinne and consequently heires of wrath and eternall damnation but in the second we are the workemanship of God created in Christ to good workes and consequently heires of grace and glory If our first generation had beene good there had not needed a second In naturall men there are some remnants of Gods image and some sparckles of light by which they differ from beasts and a fellowship is entertained among men but these cannot profit man to saluation but rather makes him inexcusable and encreases his damnation Vigens ratione non viuens ratione Man indued with reason and not liuing by reason turnes that which is his glorie into shame because hee detaines and with-holds the truth in vnrighteousnes Our blessed Sauiour farre abaseth the pride of nature when hee saies that man cannot enter into Gods kingdome till he be borne againe What euer the Semipelagians of our time say to magnifie the arme of flesh and to diminish the praise of Christs grace certaine it is there is nothing in man by nature but the blind leading the crooked that is a blind mind leading a peruerse and crooked will and so no maruell that both of them at length if they be left vnto themselues fall into perdition It is a pitie to heare sillie worldlings boasting of the priuiledges of their first birth such as Nobilitie of blood and ancietie of their inheritances and are not humbled by considering that they are borne heires of Gods wrath which they shall inherit for euer when all the comforts of their earthly inheritances shall forsake them Be what thou wilt if thou haue no more then thou hast by thy first birth it were better for thee thou hadst neuer beene borne thou shalt curse for euer the loynes that begat thee and the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke thou shalt curse the day wherin it was said of thee A man is borne and thy vaine temporall gloriation shall end in a sore eternall lamentation Nicodemus was somewhat excusable though he vnderstood not the doctrine of regeneration because he had neuer heard it before but now if we be ignorant of it we are altogether inexcusable both because it is so clearely taught vs in the word and so necessarily required of vs that without it we cannot as saith our Sauiour enter into the kingdome of God The names which regeneration receiues in holy Scripture may helpe vs some way to know it if they be considered for it is called sometime a new creation sometime a new birth sometime a renouation and sometime a transformation There are saith Basil two sorts of creation vnum eorum quae ex nihilo cum non essent sunt conditaâ—… alterum eorum quae ex prioribus ad meliora immutantur and of this last sort is Regeneration Of this it is euident that Regeneration is a mutation of the whole man both soule and body from one thing to another namely from sinne to sanctification from darkenesse to light from death to life from the power of Sathan to God Act. 26. 18. In euery mutation one thing remooues and another succeeds As in euery generation vnius ortus est alterius interitus so is it in this generation that which dies is corrupted nature called the Old man that which is quickened is renewed nature called the New man hee who hath rightly learned Christ cast off concerning the conuersation in time past the old man which is corrupt thorough deceiueable lusts and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Oportet enim eum qui alteram vitam incepturus est priori finem imponere The Regeneration then of the soule hath two partes the first is the mortification of the old man called also the circumcision of the heart and the crucifixion of the flesh the second the viâ—…ification of the new man called also the first resurrection Corrupted nature is called the old man for three causes first because it is almost as old as our nature for it began in Adam soone after his creation Secondly it is called the old man in respect