8. by pointing to his Disciples Mat. 12. 49 50. He stretched forth his hands towards his Disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoever doth c. The same Luke 8. My mother and my brethren are they that hear the word and do it verses 21. By which places of Scripture we see plainly and evidently that Christs respects are greater and he is dearer and nearer to them that are united to him by faith than by bloud by spiritual regeneration than by natural generation And St. Austin from hence is bold to affirm Felicior Maria credendo in Christum quam concipiâ—ndo carnem Christi Mary was more happy in believing in her Son than in bearing him in believing in him in her mind than in bearing him in her womb They are dearer and nearer to Christ that are allied to him by faith than by the flesh and this our Saviour mildly intimated to the woman who looking too carnally and sensually upon his outward and natural generation and crying out blessed the womb and he corrects her in these words Nay more blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it It is not the conception of the body but the conception of the mind which unites us to Christ for howsoever by the body we are born at first by the mind we are born again The womb of which conception lies higher namely in the heart where the seed of the word is sown to receiv the ingraffed word and to conceive the new man and by faith to impregnate and bring him forth This is the work of regeneration and this unites us to Christ makes us bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The word of God which is called the seed of our new birth goes in at our ears from thence down to our hearts and there as I said it doth iâ—pregnate and fructifie and bring forth the new Men. God begets us of his will by the word of truth I will conclude this Point with the Prayer of St. Augustine before one of his Sermons beseeching God that Quicquid meditatum est cor meum whatsoever my heart hath profitably meditated upon this divine Subject may enter from my mouth into your ears from your ears into your hearts from your hearts spring forth in your lives and be fruitfull so that receiving the ingrafted word with meekness it may be able to save your souls As you have in part seen the eminency and dignity of a Christian of which you shall hear more anon so I pray you note three great and singular priviledges and prorogatives of one born of God they are worth your noting and observation I. First They that are born of God sin not 1. John 3. 9. He that is born of God doth not commit sin Sin not may some say how can you make that good since the most righteous sin seven times a day and there lives not a man upon earth that sins not If we say we have no sin saith St. John We I for one we are not only deceivers but lyars 1 John 1. In many things we offend all saith James We he puts himself in James called the Just puts himself into the number of sinners We offend all all of us in many things and many of us in all things Verebar omnia opera mea saith Job I feared all my works knowing that in the best of them is weakness in the worst wickedness error in all David cries out Who knows how often he offendeth The highest form of believers are not without the actings of sin though the lowest forms are not under the dominion of sin And what were Noahs drunkenesses Lots incest Abrahams dissimulation Davids Adultery Solomons Idolatry Peters Apostacy Thomas â—â—s â—â—credulity were not these sins Noah was a just man in his generation Abraham the Father of the Faithfull and friend of God David was a man after Gods own heart nay the Father of Christ according to the flesh Solomon a type of Christ and Prince of Peace Peter the prime Apostle upon whose faith Christ did build his Church Thomas vouchsafed that never man was to put his finger into the hole of our Saviours side and to handle his wounds yet these tall Cedars were not only shaken but overthrown Et si non timuit lupus illum gregem intrare If the Wolfe feared not to enter into the â—old of which Christ was the Shepherd how may we fear our standing since these strong ones were ever taken with faults no small ones and infirmities not a few Let him that standeth take heed 'T is true peccatum inest in electis non praeest It is in them not over them remanet non regnat it remains in them it reignes not in them Vivit non vincit it lives in them but it conquers them not bellat not debellat it wars but it wins not They are not so perfect so throughly sanctified here in this life that ye fail not or fall at all nor sin at all that peccatum non sit or nisit that sin should not be or be in them but they are so upheld and preserved by the power of God unto salvation ut peccatum non praesit non obsit that sin should not reigne in them nor ruine them because as I said God keeps the feet of his Saints and his seed that is his spirit and word remains in them So that though they fall yet they fall not foully or finally though sin be in them yet it reignes not in their mortal bodies that they should obey it in the lusts and desires thereof because they be born of God and by faith lay hold upon the Lamb of God which hath taken away c. and they have an Advocate with the Father c. But we are to know that this Advocate this Jesus who was so called because he should save though he hath taken away the strength and sting of sin the guilt and condemning power thereof yet he hath not taken away the being of sin The site of sinne that Christ hath not stirred but the spite and might of it that he hath quelled the might that it should not regnare reigne the spite of it that it should not damnare damn Sin is in the best and holiest but it condemns not them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 11 They commit no wickednesse saith David that walk in thy waies that is willingly purposely or resolvedly They sin indeed out of weaknesse and frailty and error out of negligence and carelesnesse and rashnesse but not out of wickednesse intention or presumption out of infirmity and inadvertency they sin but not delightfully or desperately willingly or constantly they sin not finally or to death with their mind they obey the Laws of God though with their flesh the Law of sin or as one saies upon the place They live not unto sin but unto Christ who died for sin or which is the truest and the most comfortable exposition of all They sin
feelingly confess it that I have been over-spread with corruption ever siâ—ce I saw the light Nay which is more no sooner was the substances whereof I was framed and made warm in my Mothers womb but I was stained and tainted with originall corruption Therefore vâ—ry necessary and needfull is a new and another Birth to cover the stains and pollutions of the first of the old A second birth to sanctâ—fie our first a birth from above to make holy our naturall birth Regeneration to bless our Generation as necessary and needfull as light is unto darkness as heaven to the immunity and freedom from hell as reparation to a ruinous and rotten building as the soul to give life unto the body Nay so necessary and needfull that without it we cannot see the Kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto you that I had two births my self one by an eternall Joh. 3. 3. generation which no man can declare Another in the fulness of time being made of a woman c. You must have two births too Gal. 4. 4. one from Heaven or your earthly and carnall birth can doe you no good The Italians have a prudent proverb it is good to be bornâ— wise or twice wise no man can be borne Neâ—â— nascitur summus or sanctus No man is borne a Saint but made so virtus non est ex traduce goodnesse is not by generation it must be therefore by regeneration Better a thousand times not be borne at all than not borne againe we shall very bitterly curse the day of our first Birth if we have not a second Many solemnize keep festival their Birth-day which they have little reason to doe if they looke upon their Birth-sinne If their naturall condition be considered they have little cause to rejoyce or be merry upon their Birth-day it calls rather to Lamentation or Teares The new borne Babe seems to cry down that joy and exaltation who comes crying into a troublâ—somâ— Aust world Nâ—ndum nascitur sed prophâ—tat It is the day and blessed time of our New Birth wherein we should rejoyce and be glad which we should keep holy to the Lord wherein as in our Baptisme the Laver and Seale and Signe of regeneration as in our earthly Registers our names are written in the book of life wherein we are borne to live for ever whereas in our Birth we are damnati antequam nati damned before we be borne being filii terrae we are filii irae we must therefore be renati if we would not be damnati renewed and converted if we will not be condemned Doct. From which consideration take this observation and comfortable Doctrine He that is borne twice shall dye but once but he that is but once borne shall dye twice The second Birth shall free us from the second Death the first and none but that shall make us liable both to the first and to the second death But what doe I say that the regenerate person the Beleever shall dye no he shall not dye at all Quicunque sermones mâ—â—s custodiverint c. Whosoever keeps my sayings he shall not taste he shall not see death Death may buz and keepe a noise about his eares like an angry Wasp but he hath lost his sting the sting was left in Christ Jesus body he doth victoriously triumph over it O Death where is thy sting O Grave c. He may exult and rejoyce over Death O Death my Saviour hath been thy death and thâ—u canst not be mine My Saviour dyed for me I cannot dye by thee Christ hath killed thee and thou canst not kill me if kill me not hurt me I have made my peace with my Judge and I feare not the Baily my Redeemer hath made my peace with my God and being justified by Faith I have my Quiâ—tus est I have peace with God and therefore neither Death nor Hell nor he that hath the power of both can hurt me and therefore to every regenerate person I may pronounce that blessing which Saint John doth to them that have part in the first resurrection which is nothing else but regeneration Blessed and Rev. 20 6. holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power but they shall be as Kings and Priests unto God Of this supernaturall and Heavenly Bâ—rth doth this birth treat and of all the 4. causes thereof 1. The Formall 2. The Efficient 3. The Instrumentall and 4. the Final cause 1. The formal cause that is God progenuit Dâ—â—â— God begets us 2. The Efficient that is his will he begets us of his will for why he saves one and not another why he softens this wax upon which he will instampâ— his Image and why he hardens that clay which he will cast away there is no reason can be given hereof but the good pleasure of his will Rom. 9. 18. He will have mercy c. 3. The Instrumentall cause is verbum veritatis the word of truth called so for 4. Reasons 1. Because it hath God the God of Truth for its Author 2. Because it hath Christ the Truth it selfe for its Witnesse 3. Because it hath the Spirit of Truth for its composer and 4. Because it teacheth all truth and leads into all truth I will pray to the Father and he shall send the spirit of truth which shall lead or guide you into all truth This word of Truth is the seed of our New Birth By the grace of God saith Paul I have begotten you by the Gospell where you have againe the instrument the meanes and the Author the Instrument I Paul for though you have ten thousand instructors I am your Father in Christ â— The meanes the Gospel or Word the Author Christ Jesus whose word it is and who himselfe is the supreame worke in our regeneration Then fourthly here is the finall cause why we are regenerate and borne againe to bâ— holy and sanctified to be as the first fruits of his Creatures i. e. that as amongst the Jews in the Law the first fruits were consecrate and set apart for God so regenerate persons and believers amongst and above all others are sequestred and set apart for the services and purposes of God and this end and effect of Regeneration shews the Honour and Dignity the priviledge and prerogatives of the sonnes of God as you shall here anon otherwise as in other Births so in this you may please to observe 4. things more 1. Partus 2. Vterus 3. Semen And 4. Fructus The Birth the Womb the Seed and the Fruit. 1. Partus The Birth and that is a holy Birth progâ—nuit Deus God begets us The Spirit of the Almighty over-shadowing the Soul as it did the Body of the Virgin Mary sanctifies it and begets a new Creature for as Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost so must every Christian be 2. Vterus The Womb and that is
a holy Womb too the Womb of the Morne as David calls it the dew of thy Birth is c. or Psal 110 3. thy Birth from the Womb is as the morning dew a holy transposition of the words which enlivens and exhilerates all things Dr. Andr. refreshes and renews them 3. Semen Here is Semen the Sâ—ed and that is a holy seed too We are borne saith the Apostle not of mortall but immortall not of corruptible but incorruptible seed even of the word c. 1 Pet. 1. 23. A seed which Saint Paul calls living both because it quickâ—ns them that are dead in sinnes and trespasses and because it makes us heires of eternall life Note A seed cleane contrary to humane seed for as that begets sinfull man this kills him 4. Fructus Lastly here is Fructus the fruit and that is a holy and heavenly fruit too for being regenerate and borne againe unto God We have as the Apostle saith our fruit unto holinesse and the end is everlasting life Rom. 6. 21. Thus we see in part the nature manner causes â—ffâ—ct and end of our New Birth or Birth from above This unto flesh and blood seems very strange tell the natuâ—al man of his regeneration and new Birth that he must of necessity be borne againe and you speake to him a parable and mistery You can never fasten any thing upon him but what is made evident by demonstration He will not believe that he sees not and therefore certainly he shall never see that which he cannot or will not believe As Nicâ—dâ—â—us before his conveâ—sion hearing Christ speak of the necessity of Regeneration he makes it a matter of impossibility How can a man be borne when he is old can he enter into his Mothers wombe and be borne againâ— A strange nay an impossible thing he thinks it is to be borne againe by the word or spirit of God Words thinks he may beget words as they doe too often but not creatures And that Posthumus should be Primitiae the last creature made the first fruits this seems altogether impossible But Faith is not captivated to sence it exceeds reasons limits it is not the Naturall but the Spirituall man Nor the Naturall but Spirituall eye which discernes how God is our Father Indeed many wayes doth the Lord challenge unto himselfe this loving attribute of Paternity and Fatherhood but principally three 1. By Creation 2. By Regeneration and 3. Adoption Between which there are these differences in our Creation 1. We were filii facti made Sons In our regeneration we are filii geniti begotten Sonnes 2. Our Creation that was out of Gods councell Faciamus hominem let us make man after our Image Our regeneration that is out of his will voluntariè nos genuit 3. In our Creation Dixit Dens formati sumus God spake the word and we were formed and made in our Regeneration Operatur Spiritus Sanctus reformati sumus Gods spirit works and we are reformed re-made 4. In our Creation he gave us our selves in our regeneration he gave himselfe for us his life for us He gave his soule a sacrifice for sinne that he might see his seed Esay 53. 10. Our Creation as I hinted cost him but a few words he spake and we were made he commanded and it was effected But our Redemption through his blood cost him many words and blows many wounds and sufferings that he might see his seed he made his soule an offernig for sinne He took upon him our sinnes that we might be taken for Sonnes We were lost in Adam by our generation in Adam we all dye but in Christ we are all made alive We fell in Adam and his fall hath wounded and bruised us but Christi livâ—râ— sanati sumus by Christs stripes we are healed A strange way to be healed by wounding To kill the Physitian to recover the Patient That God should dye to preserve man from death To tame a Lyon they say they beate a Dogge but here the Lyon is beaten for the Dog the Lord for the Servant he humbled himself and took our nature upon him to sanctifie nay to glorifie our Nature in which nature he suffered for this onely end to make us accepted Ideo filius Dei factus est homo ut homines faceret filios Dei Therefore was the Son of God made the son of Man that the Sons of Men might be made the sons of God Behold then and admire what love the Father hath shewed unto us that we should be thus made and called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3. 1. 1. Cause the Formal cause But to proceed in order I will begin with the first cause of our Regeneration The formal cause God Progenuit Deus God begets us And the word the Apostle useth here to beget is worth your serious observation it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peperit a word which the Learned give to the soul as well as unto the body to the spirit as well as to the flesh of man For we must understand that the soul and spirit of man hath its birth and children as well as the flesh and body As for example Memory that is the birth of the Braine thoughts they are the birth of the Heart and Grace that is the child of the Spirit I and there are dolours and pangs tribulations and sorrows throbs and throws gripes and convulsions in this our second Birth as many if not more and as great nay greater than in our first Note The mourning weed the melting eye the pale countenance the voice of lamentation the broken heart the contrite spirit Mary Magdalen's tears Jerusalem's sighs and groans who wept continually in the night with David who washed his bed and watered his couch with his tears Jacob's wrestling Paul's combat and complaint Miserable man that I am who c. It being as painfull for a man to be delivered of his sinne as ever it was for a poor wracked mother to bee delivered of her burden that judgement being laid upon our Spiritual conception which was upon our Natural I will greatly multiply the sorrows of thy conception in labour and sorrow c. All these doth the Lord cause and raise in a man before this new man can be conceived in him or born of him When the eyes are red with tears and the heart doth ake with groans when the soul and body like the Virgin Marie's is ready to be divided as with a sword when with David we roar and cry for the very disquietness of our hearts with Rebecca feeling the old man and the new â—s she did Jacob and Esau strugling in her womb we cry out Why am I thus when with the woman in the Rev. 12. we cry out and are pained ready to be delivered the great red Dragon striving to hinder our conversion as he did her conception Then then doth this New man begin to conceive and quickend For as no birth of
and needless division of Christian Princes amongst themselves have added more Lands and Territories more Dominions and Principalities unto the Turks Empire then their own Sword and Bow As Phrahartes one of Pompey's chief Captains said of Julius Cesar's Conquests Nostra ruina factus est magnus By our ruine he is raised and made great his gain hath been our loss his rise our downfall our breaches and divisions which like Reubens have caused great grief of heart have been his utmost advantage Whilst we wory and fight and sheath our swords in one anothers bowels they say with the Edomites There there so would we have it they sing and laugh with Nero having set Rome on fire When I am dead let all the earth burn And therefore for conclusion of this point in which I have been something earnest and long being very seasonable and needfull to press in the condition we are in let us but advisedly and soberly consider the many mischiefs which factions and divisions have brought into the world and closely lay them to heart and it cannot but warm us with that heavenly fire of love the image of our Father and account it with David who though a fortunate and valiant Warrier yet a man of peace nay altogether for peace a man much vers'd in battel and sing it with him It is a good and joyfull or a pleasant and joyfull thing for brethren to dwell together in unity For our own particular let the men of our famous Nation give me leave to speak to them and put them in mind of their own strength and honour in intimating unto them the memorable words and observations of Henry the fourth the Champion of Christendom Monsieur Roan the Champion and Marshal of France in the beginning of the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory walking in his Gallery with Roan and being in serious discourse of the unity of the Queen with her Subjects of their unanimity and strength of the wealth and strong scituation of the Island which he said was impregnable and unaccessible being walled with a Wall of Brasse he meant invironed and compassed with Seas Roan answered like a prudent observer Angle le terra grand animal The Land of England is a strong and mighty body which can never die except it kill it self And surely they deserve more then one death who willingly and desperately goe about to be their own murthers with Nero to kill and rip up the bowels of their own Mother And to me it seems a mystery indeed the mystery of iniquity is in it that many have and will have order in their own houses and it is the Item and injunction they give to their servants when they hire them this is the order of my house and thus and thus you must doe and obey and yet would have none in the great House the Church and Commonwealth neither Magistrate nor Minister I will say no more to such than the great Apostle hath spoke before me If any man be contentious we have no such custome nor the Church of Christ and that God is the God of order not of confusion And how can he serve God that is the God of love and peace without peace and love His Name is love and his Law is love And therefore to conclude this Character of a Christian and strongly once more to move to unity and peace Take three pathetical and emphatical motives and perswasions from the Doctor of the Gentiles The first is 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech yor brethren by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by which you are named or called that you all speak the same things and that there be no divisions amongst you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and the same judgement Love and unity are the Cement and Glew of Christianity and Religion the unity of the spirit is best kept in the bond of peace The second is Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the spirit any bowels of mercy fulfill my joy and be ye like minded hrving the same love being of one mind and of one accord and let nothing be done in strife or contention for that undoes all God came to Adam in the cool of the day and to Elias not in the thunder or fire or storm or tempest but in the quiet sound 1 Kings 19. 11. And it is worth your noting upon what persons and at what time the holy Ghost came down Acts 2. 1 2. He came down upon the Apostles whilst they were all in supplication and prayer and of one mind in an upper Chamber in Jerusalem The spirit of unity descends upon none but upon such as have unity of spirit Beloved if ever we find an enlargement of spirit or feel the descent of spiritual blessings in an ample and plentifull manner we shall find it to be when we are in unity and unanimity And therefore if we will have a sensible apprehension of the spirits communion and benediction let us in the name of God meet in one Assembly in the same mind of those primitive Christians â—to which we pretend did and be in the same posture and devotion they were Acts 4. 31. Who being of one heart and of one mind the place moved where they met When we hold one of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephas are we not divided and divided prayers are fruitlesse when the River is divided into many streams and currents it cannot carry our Vessels our hearts wanting love and unity and our Altar fire the incense of our prayers cannot ascend 3. Note that place well 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally my brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you and if God be with us and for us we need not care who can be against us God is the God of love and peace and the Godly are peaceable and loving By those characters men shew their heavenly birth their birth from God whose name is Love and whose Law is Love 3. In our first birth Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the generation and begetting of one is the death and corruption of another untill the old man be dead the new man cannot quicken As it was prophesied of Jacob and Esau when they were in their mothers womb that the elder should serve the younger So untill the elder man be brought into subjection to the younger there can be no peace in the members neither is this work wrought 4. In our first some are more easily conceived and brought forth into the world some with much more difficulty and pain with greater sorrows and anguish with many throbs and throws crying and roaring and being pained with the woman in the twelth of the Revelations ready to be delivered Thus it is in our second birth some are more easily converted and turned to God as
c. Isa 55. 2. No let Babylon feed upon these dishes let the Prodigall eate these husks The testimony of Christ hath given thee no such legacy his Kingdome as himself a testifies is not in this world and so consequently ours and therefore not our Crowne Thou art borne from above therefore set not thy affections on things below They are below thy birth and breeding thy condition and calling Set them not therefore above thee make not thy Servant thy Lord the World and the things therein lâ—ke Fire and Water are good Servants but bad Masters let them not therefore rule over thee But say what we can or will men will most men set their affections upon these worldly things which S. Paul upon good grounds disswades we will fasten our minds upon these transitory substances we will spend our shafts at these flying fowles which have wings like an Eagle and are vanished as soone as possessed like little children we will hunt these shadows and let reall substantiall and enduring substances goe Perswade we what we can had we the tongues of men and Angels we could never perswade men from doting upon these vaine transitory deceitfull and uncertaine riches But we will build where we cannot stay and anchor where we cannot harbour and faine would we set our rest here in this restlesse place this troublesom and unquiet world whose whole composition is nothing but commotion and tumult although Saint Paul tels us That we have no continuing City here and the Prophet calls upon us to arise and be gone in our affections for here is not our rest And notwithstanding that urgent precept and counsell of Saint John Love not the world nor the things of the world If any man c. But his words are but wind and spoken onely to the aire What not love the world nor the things of the world You shall as soone get the heart out of mens bodies as the love of the world out of the heart They are as impatient for riches as Rachel was for a better wealth and substance Give me children or I die So give me Riches or I die and in deed many die in the too eager pursuit of them as she did in her travaile God gave her children but one was her death So God gave some Riches but it is for their ruine As God gave Israel a King in his anger and took him away in his wrath Thus though we call God Father and professe our selves his children yet in our courses and wayes we shew our selves Terrâ— filios Earth-bred and worldly minded men We savour and smâ—l too much of the earth our very breath is earthy and our language and talke of nothing but the world and worldly things All our labours talk and discourse tend downwards and earthwards We bury our selves almost alive and dig and delve like moles and hogs and ants in the earth and all for that which cannot profit us or fill us except it be with cares and crosses with troubles and vexations We make our way through thornes to get nothing but thornes which pierce us through with many sorrowes and many times like slippery and false friends forsake us when we have most need of them like Physitians faile us and forsake us at the point of death or like Absoloms Mule which ran from him when he had most need of him I dare say many men had been more happy if they had been lesse great and rich The greatnesse and riches of many have been their ruine The rich travellers life and money have often been a prey to the cruell and covetous thief Remember therefore thy original O Man it is from Heaven Let thy thoughts therefore be heavenly thy speeches heavenly thy conversation heavenly In all thy earthly businesses carry a heavenly mind and when thy hands be upon thy worke let thy heart be above where thy Father is thy Redeemer is where thy Country Friends and inheritances all are For as Noahs Dove being out of the Arke could find no rest for the soale of her foot untill she returned to the Arke againe so the soule being come out of heaven from God can finde no rest or content here in this troublesome world in this sea of glasse untill it returne to God that gave it The third Priviledge Thirdly If God be our Father and we his children then are we sure of paternity and fatherhood we are sure of a Father though departed this life we are sure of friends and patrons though gone before us and it may be their affections gone before them we have a provident and able Father in heaven though we be here many of us forlorne and forsaken and none cares for us which makes Christ give that Cordiall to his Disciples when he left them as sheep amongst Wolves I go to my Father and to your Father c. And though you wander up and down on earth as pilgrims and strangers as all your Fathers were yet in Heaven you shall have a Father and an inheritance which cannot be taken from you Againe I goe saith Christ to prepare you a place and in my Fathers house who by my merits I have made yours are many Mansions mansions à manendo from continuing for we have no continuing City here but we looke for one to come Houses I confesse we have as Foxes have their holes and Birds their nests and Beasts their Dennes quickly to be turned out of them But in Heaven are eternall and everlasting habitations prepared for Gods children Here in this strange Countrey we have hunger and want and necessity enough but in our Fathers house we shall have plenty and abundance we shall doe well therefore with him having such ill usage here to resolve I will goe to my Father A blessed thing it is we have a Father to go to tam pater nemo tam pius nemo This was Davids comfort when Father and Mother forsook him God tooke him up when my Father c. Againe I was poor and needy and the Lord cared for me And indeed this Father God forsakes none untill he be forsaken if he doe then for I am sure he raines his blessings unto the mouths of them that are open to blaspheme him Againe David tells us that when his people were hungry and thirsty and their soules fainted in them when being in this case they cryed unto God in their trouble he delivered them out of their distresse he brought them forth into a wealthy place set their feet in a large roome and when they wanted â—read gave them bread enough He rained Manna and Quailes and feathered foules as the dust of the earth was best to them in the worst times and when they were bad enough to him God knowes murmured and complained even when their mouthes were filled and stuffed with plenty And for his owne particular he tells us that after many sensible experiments of Gods mercy and loving kindnesse his mighty and constant protection and provâ—dence
not because their sin is not imputed nor laid to their charge They are looked upon in the face of Gods Anointed and so God sees no iniquity in Jacob c. Thou art all fair my love saith Christ and there are no spots in thee spots she hath as there be spots in the Moon she hath sin in act but her sins are not imputed Thou are fair saith Christ through the beauty that I have put into thee In this sense they that are born of God sin not they have sin in them but not ruling or reigning in them Rom. 6. 4 As Christ said to his Disciples when he found them asleep The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak And the Spouse of her self and her drowsinesse I sleep but my heart waketh So the Saints of God the best have their nods and neves but the heart wakes when the eyes are closed even in their falls and weaknesses they have a desire to stand and to be strong in the Lord and as I said With their mind c. Rom. 7. last They sin I sry again but iâ— is not their work or trade It is not they as St. Paul saith but sin that remains in them Secondly It is their desire and intention to do good 3. They lie not they continue not in sin but their course is after the Commandment and a walking in and by the spirit whereas the wicked and unregenerate they sin purposely with delight and pleasure and they continue in their sinne making it their work end trade they make it their Plough as Job saith They plough iniquity and therefore they must needs reap misery They work it and cannot sleep except they commit it they love it and live by it it is not onely their love but their life and as it is their trade and their work so it is their sport and pastime their mirth and recreation this fool the sinner makes a sport of sin a fool indeed for have they any understanding that work wickedness saith David whereas the regenerate man grieves and mourns and laments for it his righteous soul is vexed at it and he never finds rest or quietness untill he feels in his conscience the assurance of his pardon in Christ Augustin in his Book de civitate Dei sets forth the difference between the sins of the regenerate and unregenerate very learnedly and comfortably by a comparison and instance in Tarquin and Lucrete where speaking of her ravishment by him he saith thus There were two bodies and yet but one Adulterer and concludes peccatum factum est de illa non ab illa sin was done with reluctancy and striving and strong opposition upon her it was not done willingly or delightfully by her The same may we say concerning the sins of the regenerate sin is done with reluctancy and striving and opposing and resisting upon the Godly it is not done willingly or purposely or readily or pleasingly by them Like men spiritually oppressed by the potency and power of the enemy by the strength and power and violence of Satan The good they would do they cannot do it but the evil c. Rom. which makes them heavily and dolefully to complain Miserable men that we are who c. and concludes the point having shewed the difference between the sins of the godly and ungodly in two sentences which deserve your observation 1. Verus pâ—nitens semper est in timone dolore a true penitent is alwaies in fear and grief In fear lest he sin 2. In grief for sinning Try thy self by this Art thou afraid when thou goest forth into the world where men walk as amongk snares lest thou sin and be ensnared and if thou beest overtaken with a fault dost thou grieve and lament thy folly and weakness and art never at rest untill thou hast made thy peace with thy God It is a certain signe of thy sonship that thou art the child of God thy sin shall not be imputed The second observable note of the Father there is this Peccata non nocent quae non placent Tâ—â—se sins do never hurt which do not please they damn not any man that delight him not because they be not committed with the heart mind or will for it is a true rule Quod cor non facit non fit What the heart doth not is not done So much of the heart and mind as is in any sin so much it is a sin where they are not there is no sin formally or evangelically at least condemnatory These things I write unto you saith St. John that you sin not which is an impossible thing in a strict and legal sense as I have said but in an evangelical and Gospel sense it is possible You must not sin as wicked men do who do nothing else but sin Their life being a continuall and continued course of sinning who make it their work and trade work it with both their hands and all their heart earnestly and constantly which they doe not who walk in Gods waies and who are Gods children but he that is born of God doth righteously 1 John 2. 29. And he that is born of God heareth Gods word John 8. 47. He carrieth a flexible and docible heart unto the word which is the seed of our new birth and preserves a man from sin Carry we our selves therefore like holy persons like men born from above and if David thought it a great honor to be son in-law to a King Let Christians think it a transcendent dignity and honor to have God the King of Kings for their Father â—hall such a man as I fly saith Nehâ—miah So shall such a man as a regenerate man sin wilfully or presumptuously offend such a Father as God is to him whose eyes are over him to protect him and his hands under him to support him who numbers his very hairs and si sic curat superflua in quanta securitate est anima They that are Gods children cannot will not sin they have the blessing of impotency and weakness in their regenerate part that they cannot sin strongly though they have not that blessed liberty in the regenerate part that they cannot sin at all Mephibosheth though he was lame in his feet yet he was of the bloudroyal son to a Prince and grandson to a King so may a Christian be the child of God though he be lame and weak in holy duties and performances He walks uprightly that walks sincerely and with a good heart And as I said before God will not se◠〈◊〉 where he sees truth in the inward â—ffections It was the happinesse of Adam in Paradice Pâ—tuit non peccare He could not have sinned God gave that power and strength unto the soul in the Creation that he was able to have preserved himself from sinning It is our unhappiness now after his fall Non possumus non peccare We cannot chuse but sin being born in iniquity and conceived in sin sinners from the womb It will be