new man new creature regeneration new birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the tearms of repenting casting off the old man putting on the new purgeing forsakeing denying unrighteousness or lusts are used c. or els at som actual inward virtues as love fear obedience subjection and the like or at som outward performances as walking with God in all his commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evil or cleaving to good ceasing to sin learning to do well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sens are all one and they import this That the Lord require's of all believers in Christ that their hearts bee renewed that they purge themselvs finish their sanctification fear him for his mercie walk with God order their conversaton aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth include all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Four points here considerable 1. The Author of this regeneration or new creature the holy Ghost 2. The inward instrument of this author Faith 3. The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 4. The parts These four will proov the chief For as for the other which are taken for granted wee need not dwell much upon them to wit the seed whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Jesus the immediate instrument used to beget the Word of God the seal by which the spirit assure's and convey's his Regeneration Baptism I. General The spirit of God is the Author of the new creature 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3 5 6. In this new creätion of nature and infusion of qualities the Spirit doth three works 1. By Perswadeing Hee draweth the soul to bee willing to take all Christ as hee is offered and to reject no part of him and succoreth the poor soul in her application of the offer and covenant of Peace 2. By Working The Spirit effect's that in the soul which the promise import's infuseing into her an habit of cleanliness and takeing away all her filthy rags 3. By Sealing The Spirit sealeth these to the Soul Matth. 3. 11. The Lord shall baptize with the holie Ghost and with fire What is that The verie divine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and cleans our dross and bring forth our metal as pure and clean II. General The Inward instrument of this author Faith Faith saveing and effectual Act. 26. 8. Act. 13. 38. Rom. 5. 1. and 3. 25. Act. 15. both in regard of justification and sanctification Christ is not onely offered to the to bee for them in pardon but to bee in them to dwel to rule to command to exercise power over corruption and for government to bee as a soul in the bodie to act guide and bear sway in them as the branches in the Vine out of which they wither so that the promise offer 's Christ both for union of reconciliation and also communion and influence of grace Faith doth two things in the renewing of the soul First it work 's the heart to bee renewed by an argumentation See 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us becaus wee thus judg c. Mark faith judge's the matter aright and passeth a sound verdict upon it If Christ hath so loved us how should our souls earn towards him in all conformitie to his blessed nature Secondly by infusion shee is the tunnell of the Spirit to convey the renewing of the holy Ghost into the Soul III. General The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 1 Thes 5. 23. viz. 1. Minde the renuing whereof is partly a pugeing of it from the corruption and penalties of it and chiefly a restitution of it to her integritie of light and soveraigntie 2. Will purgeing it from the sin and penalties of it and restoreing it to her integritie and subjection 3. Conscience clensing it from contagion and a restoreing of her to her integritie of faithfull record accuseing for evil and excuseing for good 4. The Bodie and members restoreing them to such integritie as that the senses do duly offer to the soul the objects of sens and the members becom faithful weapons of righteousness Howsoever the holy Ghost doth renew all yet the immediate and chief subject of his residence is the spirit of man IV. General The Parts which bee negative and affirmative the former a destroying of the old frame the later a setting up of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renovation Mortification and Vivification I. Concerning Mortification In general wee must conceiv that there is no principle nor yet seed of any in us to oppose corruption flesh lov's it self Satan doth not oppose himself It is the Lord Jesus who is this new man in the soul and who expelleth the old and his dominion In Particular This spirit of Christ mortifying worketh by steps in the soul and that 1. By knowledg of sin The soul conclude's it to bee a fearful thing which could rob the Lord Jesus of his life-blood 2. By power against it 3. By Subduing the remainder of corruption Sin shall not reign Yee are no more servants of sin Rom. 6. 6. 4. By the seal of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. Know yee not that as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 5. By other ordinances viz. hearing praier watchfulness renewing of covenant c. 6. By the sweetness of Christ viz. liveing by faith and walking in uprightness It causeth that former base pleasure and sweet of sin to becom irksom Since the soul tasted Christ all other sinful pleasures becom like the book in the Prophet's bellie as wormwood 7. By applying Christ and his power against all sin in both parts both root and branches 8. By intercepting sins provision thereof Paul Rom. 13. ult oppose's these two putting on of Christ and takeing thought to make provision for our lusts 9. By remooving the strength of the Law The Law is called the strength of sin becaus of that itching and coveting propertie in sin to do that which is forbidden but the law in this point is made to a believer sweet and easie 10. By combat against sin Concerning Vivification As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the life of Christ is a wel-spring of grace unto eternal life Vse I. If all believers bee new creatures what are those that are still old creatures and will take no other die such as boast they are no changelings are still the same men Secondly it is terror to revolters and returners to their old vomit and mire the later end of such is wors then the beginning Thirdly to hypocrites who still mask over the old man with a new cover of Christ but put not off the old Fourthly to prophane ones who think themselvs in verie good case if they can carrie their beloved lusts and corruptions closel and blear the eie of the
reviveing of those truths wee have heard or the administrations of God towards us or others that both minde and heart beeing season'd with the savor thereof wee may bee furthered thereby to dutie 8. Conference is a wise and loveing laying together by two or more of such things as concern the glorie of God and our spiritual edifying for mutual information and quickning Rules concerning Fasting 1. Let us arm our selvs to the chief work which is soul-affliction Let us consider if wee were pined with necessitie of abstinence from meat and drink for any time what a fearful anguish would it bring us unto And is not think wee sin that deserv's it of more afflicting vexing nature Let us aim at it then much more that sin do humble us than any sorrow whatsoever Let us first Mic. 7. 9. bear the indignation of the Lord for our sin for the rest let God alone to plead our caus for what should it help us to berid of all other enemies while our own pride self-love hypocrisie vain-glorie worldliness and hardness of heart still grow at our hearts 2. Applie our selvs to all supports of a Fast which the Lord hath granted to keep us from deadness and weariness the Word I mean fitted to our occasions and the like yet as serving to the main of humiliation and confidence 3. Consider that the Scripture in no one thing afford's us greater consolation and hope than in this For there is scarce one example of a Fast which want's the experience of good success yea extraordinarie like it self as in Esther's Nehemiah's and Ezrae's Israel against Benjamin the Churche's Acts 12. doth appear 4. Considering it must bee no small grace either of mourning or faith which must prevail against those holds either without or within which wee pray against Let us know that our locks had need bee well grown with Sampsons for such a purpose Therefore let none dare to compass this Altar with unpreparedness of heart II. Rules concerning Thanksgiveing 1. Carrie a liveing memorial and catalogue of the chief publick mercies beeing the matter of our thanks and so of our own in particular Remember the great providence of setling the Gospel and banishing Poperie and since that the strange miraculous deliverances not once or twice from forrein enemies home judgments In secret rceord our own our first calling and since that our many staggers and revolts his renued mercies by occasion in our changes of estate in our streights in deep desertions when wee could no more sustein our selvs then if wee had hung in the ayr how hee hath ever been our portion when friends have forsaken us unthankfully and will bee so still our blessings above many in gifts of minde condition and calling graces of soul how God kept us from forsakeing his Covenant in our deepest temptations of Satan and enemies 2. Bee inlarged accordingly with due sympathie both for the Church and thy self rejoiceing with her with and for whom thou hast oft mourned and preferring her peace to thy chief joy Affection is the fire to the Sacrifice and know that psal 50. ult hee that praiseth God honoreth him and the asscent of praises shal bee the descent of blessings and happie is hee who may maintain this entercours with God for the enlargeing of him to more grace III. Rules concerning the Word preached 1. Bee sure thou hast right to the blessing of it the Word cannot build thee except it hath begot thee See 1 Pet. 2. 3. If yee have tasted how gracious the Lord is then com to the Word to grow by it 2. Prize and covet it Prize it as that Word which hath been the seed of immortalitie and glorie unto thee Now if it bee precious it will bee coveted hungred after attended with all heed yea snatch'd with violence as precious things are 1 Pet. 2. 2. Covet and cagerly tug at the Word as the childe at the breast Sleep not wander not gaze not but attend the gates and ports of wisdom and understanding if thou lookest they should preserv thee 3. Com from an holy cours and practice when thou comest to hear com not from thy own cours of wrath world self purge these first 1 Pet. 2. 1. and so com Repent of all old sins of hearing thy trifleings and dallyings with the Word thy base mixtures and com from a good cours and so the Word shall send thee back to it with more strength and grace then thou camest 4. Deny thy self and thine own wisdom partialities prejudices of man of gifts of ordinances 5. Believ God 1. That in his Word this direction to see life is to bee found Joh. 5. 2. That hee can guide his Word peculiarly to do thee good and speak to thy soul though thou bee but one of many hearers 3. Mix the Word with Faith believ it obey it fear it see God true in it in all his promises charges and threats and stand readily to catch that part of it which is thine as the tradesman stand's readie with his mould to catch the molten metall to frame his vessel 4. Depart from hearing as well apaid well fed keep your charge lose it not in the ayr of the world carrie it with you in each part of the world but let nothing rob you of it Take forth a new lesson daily have an ear to hear where God hath a tongue to speak IV. Rules concerning the sacrament of Baptism 1. As it should teach all that bring their infants to baptism to dedicate their children to God by praier so especially let all others recal to minde how the Lord hath been aforehand with them in like sort even hanging his badg upon them when they were cut off and knew it not 2. Let them hold the Lord sure to them in this covenant by this seal as a Corporation would hold their liberties by the King 's Broad Seal And when the Devil fill's thee with doubts about thy conversion the condition of faith the believing in the promise strength to a godly life flie to thy Baptism as thy uttermost assurance and say If the Lord were found of an Infant that could not seek him gave mee his seal that hee would save mee what will hee do now I seek him faithfully When thou lookest upon his Rain-bow in the clouds thou fearest no flood any more but Baptism is better 1 Pet. 3. 18. It 's God's Ark which by water save 's thee from perishing by the waters of Gods wrath Remember that that the Spirit by faith doth as really dip and drench thy soul with his pure water Ezek. 36. 25. to rins away thy guilt blemish and curs of sin and to quicken thee up to the life of the new Creature in righteousness as by his Ministers hand hee dip's thee into and take's thee out of the water V. Rules concerning the Lord's Supper 1. The soul knowing that God doth sustain her by the same whereby hee begat her doth upon this
God and they Scriptures what enemies have they to darken and dull them their sences understandings and heart what enemies of the wicked have they without them III Husbands Wives to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their salvation How do enemies affright them with malice threats big-looks disclain and scorn putting them in fear they shall never escape out of their claws In this varietie of affliction what is there to sustain them What is it which teacheth to kiss the rod take up their cross and bear the indignation of the Lord till hee plead their caus and bring forth their light Surely the strength of their Captain and Conqueror the Lord JESUS who hath told them In the world they shall have affliction but bee of good comfort I have overcom the world It 's hee that tell 's them till God's season of their suffering bee com so much so long and that very cross God hath ordeined for them no enemie shall do them hurt And when they do hee will make it tolerable and easie unto them do them good for their sakes that hurt them But above all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept above water they fight under hope of victorie and say with the Church Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not over mee Oh mine enemie for when I am down I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall bee incurable Lastly it comfort 's them by faith in the conquest of our Lord Jesus against the power of death and the grave For as it was with their head hee could not bee held in it so with them their flesh rest's in hope of that triumph This conquest make's us happie in all our miserie For why Even by that verie death which is the last enemie and the gate of utter miserie to the wicked the Lord open's a door of full and final redemption to the faithful Their lowest ebb is the next step to the highest tide of their soul's happiness and final freedom from all sin sorrow and enemies Wee shall bee as much out of Gun-shot of them as the Lord Jesus himself was after his Conquest VII Branch Applying of Christ's Merit The Applying work of Christ's merit is that solemn part of his Mediation for the sake whereof hee forsook the earth and was exalted above all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaies made for his Church hee might applie to all the members the power of this satsfaction that it might work faith in those that want it and confirm it in those that have it Therefore hee is called Advocate that the Church may enjoy the fruit of his death continually And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people unto God to hold them close to his Father and keep them in his love to cover their dailie offences and continue their justification and acceptance to unite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to bless the Ministerie of the Gospel for the breeding Faith in the souls of the Elect by the preaching of this his Blood and Death So that when wee see the prevailing power of the Word and Sacraments in the weak ministerie of flesh what shall wee asscribe unto it but the power of this applying work of our Advocate who convey's favor of life of brokenness of heart faith and regeneration thereby into the souls of his and in this respect hee is the key of his Fathers bosom and fountain to unlock and set it open beeing sealed before for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in Vse I. As it is singular for all uses to the Church in general and all the lively members thereof in all concernments of it whatsoever as acceptance of their praiers beeing perfumed with the sweet incens thereof protection of their persons safeguard against enemies sustentation of their souls in grace perseverance and the like so especially seeing by the blood of Jesus wee have a liveing way made unto us by his flesh let us draw neer with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a wel-spring of salvation for everie drie soul to com unto even in the greatest barrenness deadness and fear of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong unto it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacraments any more with a dead and sad heart as if there were nothing in them save an out-side of man's voice and efficacie to perswade behold Christ in them who by his applying power convey's into them strength savor persuasion and grace that his poor people may not hear his Word as a dead letter or receiv the Seals as dumb elements but as divine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soul and truly to carrie it into the stream of his satiafaction Deceiv not thy self in the condition of faith and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will give thee both meat and appetite the object of his righteousness and faith to believ it also Vse II. Let us bee exhorted to denie our own strength conceits hopes or fears and and as oft as wee go to the Word remember it is a word of reconciliation Vse III. Let all the faithful Ministers of God comfort themselvs in their weakness and defects of preaching in the little success of their labors of woful hardness of heart in their people The Lord Jesus by his spirit of intercession hold's them as his candle-sticks in his right hand hand and hee will uphold gospel ministerie and the power of both in the mid'st of their enemies and although they bee never so furious yet Mic. 2. 7. his spirit shall not bee streightned but his word shall still bee good to such as walk uprightly ARTIC III. GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful Soul is the formal caus of our justification IMputation doth import such an act of GOD the Father satisfied as doth take this righteousness and reckon it to the needing Soul as her own although it bee inherent in another to cast upon it an estate of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if it had never sinned or had fully satisfied for look how he dealt with our Suretie hee made him sin for us that is imputed it to him as his so doth hee take his righteousness and count it ours that it might bee really ours indeed This doctine of imputation is expressed by divers phrases in the Scripture By the tearm of not-imputeing sin and imputeing righteousness hee intimate's in how many respects Christ hath holpen us to wit both to forgiveness in the one beeing made sin for us and to acceptation in the other by cloatheing us with his righteousness yet so as by both Active and Passive righteousness jointly not severally considered By imputeing righteousness and imputeing faith for righneousness is mean't one thing Not that faith in
and performed for her The offended Father hath accepted this satisfaction is well pleased with it his heart is made placable by it and now his heart is opened and his bosom of love bared towards a poor wretch and this hee utter's by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will believ him to mean as he speak's See 2 Cor. 5. 20. 21. Him that knew no sin hee made sin ctc. And what of this Therefore hee saith bee reconciled to God Now when the soul hear's of this ground and building shee feel's herself to have somwhat to say for herself in this her dealing with God I thank thee O Lord for thy granting it and for the price paid but now seeing thou hast don it that in thy being satisfied I might have my part in it as offred and pinn'd on my sleev when I see a thing more precious than the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to think I should refuse my own salvation The Gospel in the Ministerie of reconciliation is the instrument of this Revelation and that both fully and onely Paul tell 's us that when the love of God appeared then hee saved us This appearance is the light of the Gospel and the arising of the day-star thereby in the heart Now yet this Gospel is not the mean in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministerie of reconciliation Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twice joine's this with it and hee hath made us Ministers of reconciliaton as if this were a material point Wee the Ministers of God beeseech you bee reconciled receiv not the grace of God in vain It were a great help to our faith to consider God hath seal'd Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not mean as hee speak's they are liers Wee had never known sin but by the law so neither Grace but by the Gospel And surely who so will profit by this Article must get this lesson by heart That the Lord who freely purposed and faithfully sent his Son into world still continue's his freedom and doth offer the Lord Jesus with his excellencie most freely A bottom of most unspeakable comfort to all poor bruised reeds and broken souls For if hee bee freely offred what poor soul should doubt to accept him What is freeer than gift Hee that gave him freely cannot withdraw him again nor keep back his satisfaction from a needing soul as if hee repented It behoov'd us then much to understand the truth of this freedom which in a few particulars I willname First God offer 's Christ of his own accord therefore freely Secondly hee offer 's us better then that Adam lost The burning down of our hous was the occasion of our greater repairing As hee said I had perished if I had not been taken prisoner Thirdly hee offer 's to the undeserving Wee were Theevs Traitors and enemies when wee did all wee could to pull him out of his throne yea slew the Lord of life then died hee for us Fourthly hee offereth freely who offer 's instantly upon our need No sooner did Adam fall but the offer followed the seed of the woman c. No sooner doth a poor wretch need mercie but it prevent's him Ho every one com c. Hee that offer 's leasurely is but a cold giver but speedie offring is double grace Fifthly when hee hath offered and given hee repent's not Of all works of which God is said to repent him it is neverr said hee repented to offer mercie Nay hee is so far from it that hee hath sworn and will not repent God never repent's of mercie that hee might repent us of our unthankfulness and unbelief Sixthly the Lord is exceeding glad when his offer is taken and no way so displeased as when it s in vain 2 Cor. 6. 2 Heb 2. 3 4. No disobedience is so odious to him as unbelief Joh. 3. 19. Nor for which hee will so severely punish 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hee is master of his richest gift count's it his honor to give the best most freely Joh. 6. 27. Hee hath a royal heart and can beteam to the basest worm the priveledg of pardon adoption and glorie and hee giv's an heart capable of his offer also els how could an oyster-shell contain this fountain all to teach the soul to recover it self out of her cursed distust and measureing the Lord and his gift by her self and her capableness whereas all his are inlarged by him with his offer to bee comprehensive of it the Lord makeing a poor shallow heart meet to receiv his fulness Eph. 3. 17. Seventhly hee offer 's without expecting again as wee say hee lend's freely who expects no requital the Lord indeed look's for honor at the hands of his servants but first hee giv's the gift and secoudly the heart and thirdly accept's it as honor beeing no addition to perfection The Lord offer 's grace to none whom rather hee might not bee ashamed to own Such is man's baseness that even in his greatest freedom hee seek's himself A father will give his childe his Land but when after death when it cannot pleasure him Till then hee will have rent And wee have a secret end in our gifts I give that hee may requite But the Lord offer 's to such as can no way content him or bee pleasing Hee giv's first to make them so but finde's them odious that hee may shew what hee can finde in his heart to do and make all men astonish't at his meer gracious grace and to boast of the Lord. Eightly hee require's nothing in us toward the accepting his offer All our own make's our accepting frustrate Rev. 1. 22. Com and drink freely of the waters Joh. 7. If any man thirst let him drink freely God giv's and upbraid's not our nothing Nay our emptiness is our best plea. Esay 55. 1. Com and buy for nothing self denial is our best price and hee that com's and offer 's to God any thing and bring 's cost to God loose's his gift This offer will appear so much the freer if also wee mark the circumstances in which the Scripture expresseth the offer called the cords of love by Hosea by which hee draw's the soul to see his meaning somtimes by his long patience and waiting upon her notwithstanding all her deafness of ear and deadness of heart and dallying with his offer Oh! his locks are bedewed with the drops of the night His long suffering and patience is a bottomless depth beyond all the expectation of man It is long ere thy unbelief could wearie him hee hath lengthened out the season of grace according to the length of grace it self forborn thee long kept off judgment a long while which might have swept thee away from hope many years since Hee hath recovered the lives of many of us twice or thrice that wee might renue our covenants and keep them And hee hath
still mai'st hear the word which is a favor for an Angel but that thou breathest in the aire or treadest upon the earth Thou objectest If thy hard heart were not so hideous upon thee thou couldst hope But I answer What hath caused it save thy self that wofull hardner which would get out of her fears by her own way and so hath dallied out the time and hardned thee But the promise tell 's thee if thou would'st trade with it thou should'st finde a contrarie effect Thou wilt say True if I were elected I might but I feel that I am not The promise will shew thee God's cords in thy dungeon and the robes which hee offer 's thee and will ask thee Dost thou not see mercie at the bottom At which end of the ladder would'st thou go up What hast thou to do with Election when the cords are so near thee or why would'st thou to heaven when the word is thy heart Thou wilt say Thou art most unworthie sinful and cursed and thy sin is ever before thee Yea it is so But why elsâ— should mercie offer it self save to the miserable Yea but then thou hast long continued a wretch and saped thy self in sin The promise will tell thee This objection from self-deceit as if thou might'st plead mercie if thy sins were smaller or thy self better whereas thy plea must bee the greatness of grace not the smalness of sin But my heart hath been hardned against mercie it self and dallied with it The promise will tell thee The Lord JESUS died for them that slew the Lord of life and for sins against the Gospel also Yea but thou saiest many have been converted since I began The Word will replie God hath all the hours in the day to work in if thou wilt attend him the eleventh as well as the seventh Thou wilt object If God had mean't mee good I should have felt it long since The Lord will tell thee so thou hast if thou wert not unthankful for it and rather delightest in descanting than believing Bee encouraged to hearken to the promise if thou would'st see all distempers drowned in the sea A second motive to believ may bee the heavie doom of unbelievers Their condemnation is of all others deservedly the fearfullest wors then the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar heat thrice hotter They had the Son of God in the mid'st of it with them therefore felt it not these contemn the Son of God they tread the blood of the Covenant under foot and count it a vain thing and count eternal life unworthy of them Therefore it shall consume them without consumption for ever If our Gospel bee hid it is so to them that perish The condemnation of the world is That they hated light that is not the light of the Law but of the Gospel the promise Hee that hath surfeited his bodie by intemperancie may die but hee that throw's the potion sent him the onely one which can cure him against the walls must needs die If they who despised Moses Law died how far greater judgment are those worthie of who sin and that finally against this Remedie can they resist the force of this Rock falling upon them and grindeing them to powder I deny not but even moral sins standing in relation to infidelitie either as causes Joh. 3. 19. or as effects 1 Tim 1. 13. are in themselvs damnable How much more unbelieving it self which make's them so Do not think this still stream is safe it 's the most deep and deadly gulf It oppose's the wisdom the counsel of God the depth of his riches of love the second love of mercie above the first creätion the providence of God's dispensation appointing this as the best way for redemption the direct way for the magnifyiug of his bottomless grace who could finde in his heart to love enmitie it felf and hate holiness in a sort that hee might love sinful enemies it resist's the omnipotent power of God in creäting man The second time of wors then nothing it disannul's his attributes his offer truth and faithfulness make 's God a lier chuse's a wors choice then Eve and Adam did hell before heaven and therefore deserv's to die that death which it hath chosen Oh! therefore judg of this sin by the spiritualness of it and prevent a treble hell by humble accepting and believing promise Lastly to conclude this doctrine should teach all God's people to keep their eies upon this Mirror of the Promise so closely till it transform them from glorie to glorie The least glimpse of mercie in the promise is glorious yet the Lord is not idle in his peoples hearts but that hee can reveal himself more clearly and gloriously to them day by day if they bee not in fault and lay barrs in his way For as the day from the dawning to noon-tide so the promise encreaseth in light where once the day-Star is risen The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith there is a spirit of the promise whereby God sealeth his people after they have once believed so that as Rom. 8. The Spirit fellow-witnesseth with us about our adoption our redemption our reconciliation all are ours wee are the Lord 's Many haveing got som flashes of hope by the Woâ—d rest there go no further wax waily wanton frothie thinking any of their own humors may well complie with the glad tidings of Heaven and so shake off their fears and turn grace into wantonness But if the true Spirit of the Promise were in them their Covenant would draw them to seek more assurance evidence and hold then before Therefore let us look to this work of the Spirit And to this end trie it by these few marks First such an heart growe's lower and lower in it self daily by how much grace growe's higher and the reproach of God in his fulness cause 's the soul to crie Depart from mee a sinful wretch It work 's not lightness Secondly such an heart hath much busied it self in and about the faithfulness of the promises that so the Lord may as by an earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. give her his seal to assure her Thirdly shee feel's the priviledges accompanying pardon to bee hers and out-grow's her fears bondage doubts assaults temptations by the spirit of libertie peace joy thanks admiration c. Fourthly shee grow's in the seal of holiness as well as of assurance beeing more zealous fruitful upright hereby Fifthly shee covet's the use of Baptism appointed to seal her Sixthly shee grow's more real savorie setled more confident in praier and more lively in hope more readie to die more mortified in lusts more cheerfull and fruitful in communion of Saints THE THIRD PART ARTIC I. That hee who is in CHRIST is a new Creature THe Scripture expresseth this sundrie waies all tending to the same end all may bee reserred to these heads for either they look at the main principle of the Spirit of sanctification as when the tearms of renovation