man be borne of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God q. d. I thought Nicodemus I should make thee wonder I tolde thee I should grauell thee well perceiuing thee thus plunged I wil help thee the second or new birth which I nowspeake of is not naturall but spirituall I discourse not of a re-entring into the mothers wombe the second time naturally for I know that to be impossible but of an entring of the holy Ghost into the soule by grace spiritually and in this sense would I haue thee to vnderstand me and for a man thus to be borne agayne is so far from being impossible that it is most necessary and needefull if he minde euer to enter into the Kingdome of God either of grace heere or of glory hereafter d Verse 7. Maruell not therefore that I said vnto thee Ye must be borne againe Now our Sauiour hauing by this occasion entred vpon so woorthy a subiect as the doctrine of Regeneration is in handling the same he doth amplifie it from a three-folde particular first from the effect of it secondly from the contrary thirdly from the efficient cause of it First the effect of regeneration is the reward that followeth it viz. the inheritance of an heauenly kingdome in the later end both of the third and fift verses Except a man be borne againe or of the Spirit he can not see nor enter into the Kingdome of God giuing vs to vnderstand that if a man be regenerate he shall possesse the Kingdome of Heauen Secondly the contrary vnto this worke of the new-birth is the corruption of the flesh and the power of the same expressed in the sixt verse That which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Thirdly the efficient cause or immediate agent of this worke is the Spirit of God or the holy Ghost set out by a two-folde metaphor or similitude first likened to Water in the fift verse Except a man be borne of water and the spirit c. i. of the spirit which is like vnto water and secondly resembled to Wind in the present Text. The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the spirit Sect. 2. The summe Which words as wee see for the summe and substance of them are nothing else but a Comparison vsed by our Sauiour in conference with Nicodemus to expresse the operation of the most blessed Spirit of God in effecting and contriuing that excellent worke of Regeneration in the hearts of the Elect which Comparison is taken from the liberty to breathe from the noyse and sound that are in the wind when it moueth the ayre and this for the coherence and substance From whence what we may gather in generall for our learning before we come to diuide and vnbowel the Text more particularly we shall see by that which followeth in two conclusions CHAP. II. The first generall Conclusion from the nature and substance of the words Sect. 1. THis metaphoricall or rather comparatiue forme of speech our Sauiour doth not vse in vaine but that his Church may learne something euen from the very maner of speaking For in that from the cōsideration of an earthly creature such as the Wind is hee doeth take occasion to discourse with Nicodemus of an heauenly matter Doctr. 1. hence we may obserue thus much that from the consideration of natural things wee should be led to the contemplation and communication of heauenly Saint Iohn from the noyse of the e Reu. 4.5 cap. 14.2 thunder which he heard in his Reuelations is led to the meditation of the power of Christ his voice in the preaching of the Gospell against Antichrist and his hereticall kingdome f Isa 44.19 The Prophet Esay from the consideration of the vnmoueable strength stability of the earth takes occasion to speake of the vndoubted certainty of Gods vnaltetable truth both in his promises and threatnings And how full of such heauenly meditations and diuine speeches the minde and mouth of Dauid the Father and Solomon the Sonne were vpon the consideration and sight of the workes of God he shal perceiue that doth at his leisure peruse the first psalme the nineteenth the hundred and nineteenth and many other places in the Psalmes and the whole Booke of the Canticles Sect. 2. Vse And wherefore serueth this but to prouoke and stirre vp euery Christian to reade to himself a profitable Lecture out of the Booke of the creatures and not to content himselfe with a meere gazing and looking vpon the workes of God in the heauens the earth the waters fruitlesly and vnprofitably as the greatest number doe but to be led by the same to set his heart on worke by diuine meditation and his tongue in spirituall conference according to what hee seeth or considereth in those workes g Motiue 1. from gods glorie Doth not the appearance of Gods glory in these creaturs call for this duty at our hands Serue not the variety the beauty the proportion the forme and the ornament of these creatures to set forth and declare the praise of his wisedome the glory of his power the honour of his goodnesse and according to that of Paul h Rom. 1.20 Are not the visible things of God seene clearely and his glorie showne conspicuously in and from the creation of the world Are not we guiltie then of dishonouring him when wee shall but meerely looke vppon these things as vpon a peece of paper that hath no letters and from them draw nothing to our meditations for the good of our soules and the benefit of others i 2. Note otherwise wee shew our selues fruitlesse See wee the Sunne so oft bloweth the winde so oft soundeth the thunder so oft bursteth forth the lightning so oft falleth downe the raine so oft Behold wee the Canopie of the Cloudes the lustre of the heauens the beauty of the earth and yet learne wee nothing from hence Oh how barren hearts haue we How vnprofitable Scholers are we It is much that hauing beene set to Schoole so long euen euer since our yeares of discretion wee haue not yet taken forth one good lesson out of this great booke the vse whereof the looking whereon we doe so daily and continually enioy What are they but Droans that flie about the fields and gaze vpon the floures and gather no hony from them And what shew we our selues but a sluggish cattell a fruitlesse people when wee can bring no hony to our Hiues no holy thoughts to our harts from the great Vniuerse to profit our selues and sweeten others withall Philosophers Physicians Astrologians haue all learned some thing from hence though but heathen and shall we that professe our selues Christians onely remaine vnprofitable The duty vrged Oh that wee could
reade out of the Word they haue gotten a few smacks of knowledge and haue attained to an ability to discourse of the poynts of Religion and because with Iudas for gaine with Iehu for glory with the Pharises for praise they do some dueties which true Christians doe pray peraduenture sometimes with their family giue almes of their substance to the poore affoord perhappes some countenance to the Ministers of the Word and Professors of the Gospel because I say for by-respects they do these things therefore they argue that they must needes be sound Christians But how much they deceiue themselues God knoweth and this poynt sheweth For alas what are hast perhappes a knowledge of the doctrine of faith and therin of the obiect of faith Christ Iesus but where is thy experience of the power of this faith first in leading thee to Christ for reconciliation secondly in accheering thy heart vpon the finding of the Messiah thirdly in purifying thy heart from the filthinesse of the flesh and fourthly in prouoking thee to lament as the Church did in the Canticles when thou hast lost the sight of him Againe thou hast it may be by attendance vpon the ordinance of God gotten some skill to discourse of the point of loue to God and his Children of hatred of sinne c. but doest thou feele thy heart set on fire with a desire of being obedient to God in all his Commandements resoluing to m 1 Kin 15.5 turne from nothing that hee enioyneth thee all the dayes of thy life and purposing with Iob n Iob 9.4 to be content to receiue euill at Gods hands as well as good Art thou enflamed with a loue to all good things as well as one and to all the Saints as well as one though I deny not that the neernes or the worthines of the person loued may occasion differing degrees in thy loue nay findest thou a readinesse to forgiue and loue thine enemies feelest thou in thy selfe a dislike of sinne in all persons as well as in those that are neere vnto thee as in neighbours that haue no alliance with thee Are thy affections thus moued Is thy inner man thus affected No no thou hypocrite wilt thou dare then to encroach vpon the prerogatiue of Gods beloued ones and lay challenge to the portion of sauing grace take heed what thou dost The Diuell is subtile thine owne heart is deceitfull Either get some sure testimony to proue the sense of grace in some sound maner to affect thy heart or else I must tell thee as I told the profane and ciuill person before thee that thou hast no grounds that the gales of Grace haue sauingly blowne vppon thee when-as this must needes bee granted for a trueth that in the Soule of the regenerate there is a feeling of the spirits working as well as in the eare of a man a sound of the wind when it bloweth in the ayre And thus Christian Reader haue I had a cast at this vaine conceit of hauing grace altogether without the sense of grace which is all one as if the Sunne and light life and feeling fire and heate should be separated and I haue to my power bent the edge of this doctrine against it And if in that which I haue spoken I haue seemed too harsh I must craue pardon for pitty to the soules of such deluded creatures hath stirred mee vp thereunto And to speake trueth neuer had Dion more cause of offering sacrifice to the gods after the paganish manner of the Heathens when hee freed the Syracusians from the tyranny of Dionysius Diod. Sic. libr. 16. then I shall haue of praising the God of heauen if through the meanes of this vse of confutation but one profane ciuil or hypocriticall person may be freed and deliuered from the bondage and slauery of so vaine and erroneous an opinion Sect. 5. Vse 2. Comfort to the tender-hearted Now lest the children of the Bride-chamber should through the malice of Satan abuse themselues so much as to place themselues in the ranke of such selfe-deceiuers so cast downe themselues without cause by that which hath beene spoken I must bring in as wel I may from the point in hand a word of comfort for them Is it so then that where the holy Ghost infuseth grace there is a spirituall sense in the powers of that soule then what singular cause of reioycing hath that Christian that hath this sense and feeling for hee hath euen the witnesse in himselfe that Christ is his grace is his and the Spirit of the Almightie dwelleth in him When therefore the word of GOD doth reueale vnto thee the minde of God either in the sounds of Iudgement or the Songs of Mercie out of the Lawe and the Gospel feelest thou thy heart affected accordingly sometimes with reuerence feare and trembling somtimes with rauishment comfort and reioycing Art thou sensible of those impure thoughts that swarme in thy heart of idle speeches that oft issue foorth thy mouth and Text yet I dare say it is not violently forced against the minde of the holie Ghost For seeing it hath pleased our Sauiour to compare the sense of the Spirits working to the sound of the winds blowing I may safely inferre thus much heerupon If the sound of the winde be not alwayes alike in the eare of the same man but sometimes louder sometimes lower then the feeling which grace effecteth in a Christian must needs be sometimes more sometimes lesse and not at all times alike Very euidently doeth that same o Psal 51.12 prayer of Dauid make this poynt good Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation as intimating vnto vs that the spirituall ioy which hee was wont to feele was in a manner quite gone yea so gone that hee craues the restoring of it againe Doe wee thinke that the feeling of the burthen of his two sins Murther and Adultery was so great and vehement before Nathan came vnto him as it was after he had beene with him Certainely no the Booke of the Psalmes is plentifull in proofes of this kinde Had Peter thinke we who was a beloued Disciple of Christ alwayes the same feeling of the Spirits working When he stood vpon his owne p Mat. 16. ver 33.35 strength and denied his Master when hee vanted before Christ Though all men forsake thee I will not hee had not that feeling of his owne weakenesse which hee had when hee went out and r Mat. 26.75 wept bitterly after his fall neither did his soule heare the Lawe telling him how feeble he was in himselfe at the one time so strongly as he heard it at the other He had not such a taste of the loue of Christ towards his soule when hee was Å¿ Mat. 26.72.73 denying of him as he had when he made that good confession of his faith We know thou hast the words of eternall life t Mat. 16.16 Lu 9 20. thou art the Christ the Sonne
contempt they debarre themselues from the breath of the spirit For if amongst those that heare the Word diligently when it is most soundly preached there be but one sort amongst foure that get any more grace by it then the common gifts of the Spirit which a reprobate may possibly attaine vnto then let them neuer looke to obtaine the Spirit sauingly that contemptuously reiect preaching as Papists doe that negligently heare preaching neuer but when themselues list now and then at their owne leisure as profane Protestants doe And if such persons remain in their vnregenerate condition vntill they come to reape the fruit of it in eternall condemnation whom can they blame but themselues What can they finde fault withall as the cause of such misery but the turning away their eares from hearing the Law Suppose a man were in a close roome where through the vnholesomnesse of the ayre he were like to be smothered and might haue libertie to goe abroad into the aire where the winde might reuiue his spirits if he should wilfully refuse to come abroad and partake of that refreshment and should rather choose to keepe in that roome were not hee worthy to be smotherd and choaked Surely yes how much more deserue they to be smothered with their sins and choaked with the stinking ayre of their corruptions who haue the word brought home euen to their doores and yet stop their eares against it chusing rather to snort vppon their couches to sit in the chimney corner to prate by the fires side to patch their cloathes as many of the poorer sort make that their Saboths worke to play and game to make bargaines to trauell about their worldly businesses then to go to the house of God where in the preaching of the word the Lord doeth offer the worke of his Spirit for the distilling of grace into the hearts of the Elect. Wherefore whosoeuer thou art that hast beene either a contemptuous despiser or a negligent hearer of a powerfull Ministery when thou mightst haue had it be humbled for this contempt reforme this negligence and now at last gather vp thy ceited in her own eyes and thence it was that they were so ful of grace Can the profane person get restraining grace so long as in the pride of his hart he thinks himselfe good enough Can the ciuill person euer get sauing grace so long as he is puffed vp with a loftie conceit of his owne righteousnesse Cā the hypocrit get sanctifying grace so long as he prides himselfe in those common gifts which he hath already It is not possible For so long as men are swolne vp with a selfe-conceit of their owne excellency with an haughty opinion of their ciuil honesty with a conceited thought of supposed sanctitie they can see cause neyther of complaining before God of their natiue filthinesse nor cause of praying vnto God for more holinesse And if they see no cause to doe thus how can they long for grace and if they neuer long for it they can neuer haue it Let the word therefore which thou hearest be effectuall with thee to bring thee out of conceit with thine owne holinesse and learne thee to see and acknowledge that thou hast nothing in thy selfe originally but natiue pollution otherwise though thou beest neuer so well esteemed in the eyes of the world Publicans and harlots shall sooner enter into the kingdome of Heauen and be blowne vppon with the winde of heauen then thou shalt Thirdly when the word hath done this notable good with thee 3 Help to sanctification as to bring thee to a base esteem of thy selfe in respect of the lacke of grace then must thy heart be softned and moistned with the teares of contrition and remorse of conscience must bee the thing which thou must striue for The Prophet c Ezek. 36 26.27 Ezechiel seemeth to intimate vnto vs that the Lord before he putteth his Spirit within vs he taketh away the stony hart from vs. d Isa 66.2 To this man will I looke saith Iehouah himselfe by Isaiah that is of a contrite spirit The more moist the earth is the more vapours ascend out of it and the more vapors rise from it the more windes blow vpon it euen so the moyster our hearts are the more tender our consciences are the more vapours of sinne will the Sunne of righteousnesse draw vp to himselfe in regard of guilt by the grace of iustification and so the more way shall be made for freedome from the reigne of sinne in the grace of sanctificatiō Why were the Scribes and Pharises so destitute of grace but because hardnesse of heart did possesse them and the spirit of slumber was vpon them whereas Peters e Acts 2 Conuerts being pricked in their consciences did beleeue and repent to the remission of their sinnes and sanctification of their soules And truely this must needes be an vndeniable truth because that when the heart is tender and soft it is like waxe capable of the impression of euery grace then the preaching of the Lawe will worke vppon it to the producing of the grace of repentance the preaching of the promises of the Gospel will worke vppon it to the breeding of a liuely faith the reuealing of the will of God concerning any necessary duty to saluation wil worke vpon it to the begetting of new obedience the experience of Gods mercies will worke vpon it to the effecting of the grace of loue the meditation of Gods iustice and power wil worke vppon it to the engendring of an holy and sonne-like feare but where this softnesse and tendernesse is not neither Law nor Gospel neither mercy nor iustice nor any thing else will auaile to imprint the least stampe of any grace vpon the soule And truly from the want of this it is that so little grace is to be found amongst the posteritie of Adam in this last age of the world Aske the Philosopher why winds are not so common in the winter and summer quarters as they are in the spring the Autumne and he will answer that the cause is from the hardnesse of the earth beeing more bound with extreamitie of frost and colde in the winter then in the autumne and more parched with vehemencie of heate in the summer then in the spring euen so aske the Diuine what is the reason why the winde of grace doth not blow as well vpon the greater number as the smaller and hee wil answer you The hardnes of mens hearts is the ground of it their hearts are frozen with the dregges of coldnes and security and they are parched and dried with the heate of their Iustes which hindereth all spirituall moysture in them and can heauens blasts blow so long as all such moysture is wanting vnto them I confesse indeede that when the Spirit beginneth first to breathe it findeth the heart of the sinner hard and impenitent but yet I say that the Spirit neuer proceedeth vnto the vp-shot of Sanctification
of men and their gracious and holesome speeches But this cannot be the meaning because as hath beene shewed before by Winde cannot bee vnderstood the person of the holy Ghost and so the comparison can not bee betwixt the Spirit and those that are borne of the Spirit but betwixt the Winde and those that are borne of the Spirit Following therefore still the Metaphor of Winde I fall to expound the wordes thus And thou that is thou Nicodemus thou that art so ignorant in the mystery of regeneration hearest the sound thereof that is the noyse or sound of the winde when it bloweth in the aire This sound thou hearest with thy eares though thou canst not see it with thine eyes and so commest to know there is winde So is euerie one that is borne of the Spirit .i. So standeth the case with them that are regenerate in regard of the worke of the Spirit in them though it can not be seene and comprehended with the eye of carnall reason yet the spirituall sound that it maketh and sense that it worketh inwardly in the soule of the regenerate doth giue testimony of the breathing of it Sect. 2. The reason of the interpretation That this is the meaning it is plain because it agreeth with the scope of this dialogue betwixt Christ and Nicodemus For Nicodemus maruelling how it could possibly be true That a man should be borne againe our Sauiour bids him leaue wondering at it for though by his fleshly reason hee could not see a possibilitie of the new birth yet such a birth there is perceiued too by the effect of the Spirit inwardly working in those that haue it euen as the winde is knowne to bee by the sound it maketh in our eares though the substance of it cannot be seen with our eyes The wordes thus explained are a foundation for foure principles of positiue Diuinitie 1. That to the eye of Reason the worke of the Spirit and the doctrine of the new birth is inuisible 2. Where the Spirit breatheth and regenerateth there is a sense and feeling of it is I say no matter of corruption in it in respect of its owne nature wherefore it being so pure in it selfe it cannot bee comprehended by a capacitie and vnderstanding so grosse as the carnall mans is Reason 2. Secondly the winde can not bee seene because it is not capable of colour For colour being the obiect of sight things onely are seene by their colours so the winde of grace cannot be seene by a carnall man the doctrine of the breath of it seemeth strange to him because to his reason there is no pleasant nor beautifull colour in it he beholdeth more lustre and splendour more beauty more cause of contentment in riches honours preferments parentage yea in his bestial and Belial-like lusts then in the things of the Spirit of God and hence it comes to passe that hee is so blinde in the matters of heauen Reason 3. To these two I may adde a third that light which should help the iudgement to apprehend the things of God was extinguished by the fall of our first parents vntill which bee restored againe there can be no conceiuing the mystery of Regeneration But so long as a man is naturall that light is not restored and therefore no maruell if the point of Regeneration bee a darke sentence and riddle vnto him For a man to the end hee may see things must not onely haue the power or vertue of seeing in the sensitiue soule and eies as fit organs and instruments for that seeing sense to vse in the apprehension of colours but there must be light in the aire either by means of the Sun or a candle or fire Which light if it be wanting all things are inuisible to the creature though it hath both the sense of seeing and eies to see withall so in like manner though there be as there is in the vnregenerate person a faculty and power to vnderstand because he hath a reasonable soule and differeth from brute creatures and eyes to execute that facultie that is the act of vnderstanding because he hath a mind in that soule yet the light of Gods Image is wanting which Adam lost by the meanes whereof hee must see into heauenly mysteries and so long as that is wanting he must needes be vnable altogether to diue into matters of that nature Sect. 2. Vse 1. The meditation of this truth ought first of all to be a Motiue vnto the regenerate to pitty the miserable and wretched estate of all carnall and vnregenerate persons For alas blinde creatures the Doctrine of the winde of grace the manner of the worke of grace is a riddle vnto them their mind is so blinded their vnderstanding is so darkened that such Principles as these are Greeke and Hebrew vnto them Yea let the confluence of naturall morall and artificiall gifts meet together in them to conspire their perfection let the motions of the celestial sphears the course of the Sunne and Moone the influence of the Starres the nature of beasts the property of birds the qualitie of trees the vertue of hearbs and plants of the earth be neuer so visible vnto them neuer so well knowne of them by their study and industrie in searching into the secrets of Nature Yea let them haue a speculatiue sight of many things which the Scripture openeth and reuealeth yet so long as they are but carnall the Doctrine of the winde of Grace will be strange to them yea though they can talke and preach of it and the efficacie of the work of grace altogether mystical and aenigmaticall vnto them no more by the wisedome which they haue to bee perceiued then the winde which is so thin a substance so vncolourable a creature to be visibly looked vpon apparent to the eye of the body And is not this a pittifull thing a thing to be lamented a case to be pittied Oh Christians pitty them you that haue any knowledge of the Lord Iesus mourne for them Out of question it went to the heart of Christ Iesus to consider the grosse blindnesse of Nicodemus that a Maister in Israel a man of note and reckoning amongest the people that such an one as Nicodemus was who had read or should haue read what the Scripture sheweth in the writings of g Psa 51.7 Dauid h Ezek. 11 19. Chap. 36.25 Ezekiel i Zac. 13.1 Zacharie the rest of the Prophets concerning the force of corruption the fruit of conuersion the power of sanctification that such an one I say as had Moses and the Prophets to informe him in these matters should be so ignorant so vnlearned in the poynt of Regeneration that he could not see a possibility of being born againe This no doubt moued our Sauiour much to compassionate his condition for so much k Chemn in Harm 357. one affirmes of Christ in expounding the tenth verse of this Chapter Art thou a maister in Israel
their first entring into worldly dealings striue by all manner of waies to increase in wealth and riches but because they will set no bounds to their estate no period which they resolue not to passe neyther will they learne to know any measure beyond which they purpose not to goe And shall not men of the Spirit from the first time of their conuersion seeke to thriue in those spirituall riches no limits whereunto the Lord hath set vntill their earthly tabernacle bee dissolued and death maketh a separation betwixt the soule and the body How doe they looke for the Garland except they runne forward What hope can they haue of the Crowne of life except they bee faithfull vnto the death If I had but a perswading faculty I would vehemently vrge this spiritual growth in the practice of piety in the life of Christianitie in these declining times in this decaying barren age of the world But Peter shall speake in stead of me z 2. Pet 3.18 Grow in grace And so shall Saint Paul a Ephes 4 15. In all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ c. Whose counsell I would entreate thee to follow to hold fast and to encrease what thou hast already receiued Quest But will some say It is easier to say Grow then to shew how to grow bare exhortation berall Arts that there was neuer a day passed ouer his head wherein he did not either reade something or write something or declaime and out of doubt hee was no loser by it So if men and women would be more diligent students in the Oracles of God the book of the Scriptures they should be great gainers in the trade of godlinesse and their dayly incomes of heauens blasts would be larger then now they are Vnto God therefore my brethren I commend you e Acts 20.32 and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified f Phil. 1.9 praying that you may more and more abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Helpe 2 Secondly prayer vnto God that hee would leade vs forward by his holy spirit wil be a means to raise higher the gales and gusts of this spirituall winde In this practice we haue the Apostles to goe before vs who prayed and said g Lu. 17.5 Lord encrease our faith And if their faith then all the other graces which are ioyned with faith and attend vpon her Thus prayed Paul on the behalfe of the Philippians that h Phil. 1.9 their loue might abound Thus prayed hee also for the Ephesians when he sayd i Ephes 3.14.16 For this cause doe I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee would graunt you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man And thus must thou pray also that art a partner in the possessions of grace and then thou shalt find that that God which hath begunne the good worke will perfect it for the more frequent and feruent thy sutes are for the augmentations of Grace the better thou art sure to thriue in thy spirituall and holy courses Thirdly to loue the communion Helpe 3 and frequent the company of the Saints is a way to bee gayners and a meane to encrease the stocke of true holinesse The more vapours are together the longer and stronger are the windes like to bee and the moe holy hearts are vnited together by the bond of holy societie the more occasion their times about things that tend not to edification neglecting faith repentance such necessary neuer to be knowne-enough principles they com at length to call their mother whoore like impudent children though they first receiued the graces they make profession to haue in her yet they will not sticke to slaunder her as a limme of the Romish Synagogue And therfore I say I perswade not to such meetings but I perswade to that which the Apostle doth Hebr. 10.24 25 Brethren forsake not the assembling your selues together as some doe that ye may consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and good workes and to exhort one another in asmuch as yee see the day approching Children season themselues in profanenesse by their playing together Profane men strengthen themselues in wickednesse by conuersing together in Ale-houses Tauerns Brothell-houses Theatres c. Papists in heresies by mutuall society and shall Christians depriue themselues of this means to thriue and grow vp in grace by neglecting the society and communion of one another God forbid If they doe that which the Prophet speaketh of the materiall temple may bee verified of them k Hag. 2.3 Who is left amongst you that sawe this house in her first glory And how do you see it now Is it not now in comparison of it that is of what it was before as nothing Fourthly it must bee our care not Helpe 4 onely to walke wisely and circumspectly redeeming the time as the Apostle aduiseth l Ephes 5.15.16 but also to bee daily weeding our corruptions out of the ground of our hearts with the weeding-hooks of Examination and renued Repentance searching diligently what thistles grow at the bottome what euills are most prone to please our selues in that wee may daily grow into hatred with them and cleanse our selues from all filthines of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle his counsell is m 2. Cor. 7.1 For if day by day passe ouer our heads and we seldome or neuer search out our hidden sinnes and summon our selues for them before Gods Tribunall wee may bee so ouer-growne with security lacke of care that our growth in sanctitie will be hindered our gifts of grace to our sense at least much impaired euen as land when it is sowne corne when it is sprung vp for want of looking to and weeding may bee ouer-growne with noysome weedes and vnprofitable plants to the great hinderance and grieuance of the poore husbandman Helpe 5 Lastly it will much auaile vs in this spirituall growth to keepe our graces in exercise and to put them to vse One good way for a Merchant or Trades-man to thriue in the world Simile is if his markets be good the winds serue to be continually in trading and still to haue the maine stocke going Whereas he which alwayes spends of the stocke and tradeth not withall may goe downe the winde and soone prooue a bankrupt So for a man to haue good gifts good graces and not occupy with them nor keepe them in exercise shall be so farre from encreasing his spirituall store that hee shall rather diminish and wrong it Vse limbes and haue limbes saith the olde Adage Vse knowledge and haue knowledge vse faith and haue faith vse loue and haue loue vse humilitie and haue humilitie c. 1. Hast thou the grace