To get into it 2. To be delivered of it 1. The means to get into it is 1. Examination of themselves 2. Confession of their sins 3. Hearty prayer for the softning of their hearts By which three are procured the three first steps Sight of sin Sense of divine wrath Sorrow for sin 2. The means to be delivered of it is by application of the promises and these according to their several objects produce their several effects some A sight of Christ A desire after Christ A relying on Christ An obedience to Christ A comfort in Christ not onely sought for but obtained if the promises be rightly applyed CHAP. II. Sect. 1. The first means to get into the new birth THe means to get into the new birth is first Examination and the way to examine is to set before men that Chrystal glass of the Law for their light and rule To this purpose I have here annexed a Catalogue or Table to shew them their offences not that I can possibly ennumerate all sins but onely the kindes and if herein I come short yet consciences awaked may be occasioned hereby to bring into their thoughts those others not mentioned Now then whosoever thou art that beginn'st this blessed work examine thy self by this Catalogue but do it warily and truly and where thou find'st thy self guilty either note it in this book or transcribe it into some paper that so they may be ready for thine eye when thou comest to Confession Sect. 2. Sins against the first Commandment IN every Commandment we must observe both the duties required and sins forbidden for both these are implyed in every one of the Commandments if in the first thou art guilty thou must answer negatively if in the second thou must answer affirmatively now then to proceed It is the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other gods but me For the duties here required Say first Hast thou ever in minde will and affections took the true God in Christ to be thy God Secondly hast thou abounded in those graces by which thou shouldst cleave unto God as in the warmth of knowledge and love and fear and joy and trusting in God Thirdly hast thou observed Gods mercies and promises and works and judgements upon thee and by a particular application took special notice thereof Fourthly hast thou communicated with the godly and joyned thy self to Gods people and delighted chiefly in them Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes been guilty of blasphemy or idolatry or witchcraft or atheism or epicurism or heresie Secondly hast thou not been guilty of pride a sin flatly opposing God and first committed by devils Thirdly hast thou not had inward reasonings that there is no God or that he seeth not Psal 14.1 Esay 29.15 Iob 21.14 Ier. 17.5 or knoweth not or that there is no profit in his service Fourthly hast thou not failed to love God and fear God and to put thy whole trust in God Fifthly hast thou not trusted in man or feared man or loved the world and thereby alienated thy heart from God Sixthly hast thou not resorted to witches or in the first place to Physitians and not to the living God Seventhly hast thou not tempted God and in the matters of God been either cold or lukewarm or preposterously zealous Eighthly hast thou not a proneness to sin yea to rebel against God in thy whole man Ninthly hast thou not been careless to perform the inward duties of Gods worship in sincerity and truth if in these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt have no gods but me Sect. 3. Sins against the second Commandment IT is the second Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image For the duties here required Say first hast thou ever worshipped the true God purely according to his will Secondly hast thou observed all those outward duties of his worship as prayer and vows and fasting and meditating and the rest Thirdly hast thou repaired to Gods house observed family duties received the Preachers of the Gospel Or for the sins here forbidden Say first Ier 9.14 hast thou not sometimes walked after the imaginations of thy own heart serving God out of custom or after the maner of thy fore-fathers by will-worship and superstitions Secondly hast thou not committed idol worship conceiving of God in thy minde or respecting him in thy sense in the likeness of a creature Exod 23.13 Thirdly hast thou not mentioned the names of other gods either by way of swearing or apology Fourthly hast thou not made an image to liken God to it Esay 40.18 or used any gesture of love and reverence to any such images Fifthly in a word hast thou not been careless to worship God Zach. 14.17 Psal 14.4 Math. 10.14 to call upon the Lord to receive Gods Ministers or to perform any other of the outward duties of Gods worship If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image Sect. 4. Sins against the third Commandment IT is the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the duties required Say first hast thou been ever a constant learner hearer and doer of Gods Word and Will Secondly hast thou prayed with perseverance understanding and power of the Spirit without doubting or wavering Thirdly hast thou come preparedly to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and being come hast thou discerned the Lords body Fourthly hast thou used all the titles and properties and works and ordinances of the Lord with knowledge faith reverence joy and sincerity Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes in thy talk dishonored the titles attributes religion word people of God or any thing that hath in it the print of his holiness Secondly hast thou not sworn or forsworn or loved false oathes Thirdly Zach 8.17 hast thou not caused the name of religion or people of God to be evil thought of by thy ill course of life or by committing some gross sin Fourthly hast thou not rashly or unpreparedly or heedlesly read the Word heard Sermons received the Sacraments or performed any other part of the worship of God Fifthly hast thou not thought or spoken blasphemously or contemptuously of God or of any thing whatsoever pertaining to God If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Sect. 5. Sins against the fourth Commandment IT is the fourth Commandement Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day For the duties here required Say first hast thou according to the equity of this Commandment ever observed the Lords day and other days and times set apart for Gods service Secondly hast thou on those days rested from the servile works of sin and rested and relyed upon Christ for the remission
these manifold sins O that by these sins I should break so holy a law provoke so good and great a Majesty What shall I do but remembring my evil ways Ezek. 36.31 even loath my self in my own sight yea abhor my self in dust and ashes for my iniquities and my abominations c. For conclusion thou mayst imitate the Publican who not daring to lift up his eyes smote his brest so do thou and sigh Luke 18.13 and say with him O God be merciful to me a sinner CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. The third means to get into the new birth AFter Confession which may well serve thee for another days work the next duty thou must labor for is to seek for true sorrow and mourning for thy sins Seek thou must and never leave seeking till thou feel thy heart melt within thee To this purpose reade some tracts of death of judgement of hell of Christs passion of the joys of heaven Last of all and I take it best of all resolve to set every day some time apart to beg it of the Lord When Daniel set himself to pray the Lord came in to him Dan. 9.3 When Peter had gone apart to pray and when Paul had prayed in the Temple then the Lord came in to them Act. 10.6 and 22.17 And why may not I bid thee pray as well as Peter bid Simon Magus yet being in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Act. 8.22 23. and at the time appointed fall down on thy knees spread thy Catalogue confess accuse judge condemn thy self again which done beg beg of the Lord to give thee that soft heart he promised Ezek. 36.26 Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Say then to thy self Is this the Lords promise O Lord perform it to my heart take away my stony heart give me an heart of flesh a new heart a new spirit c. here make thine own prayer be not careful of words onely let the words be the true voice of thy heart and the more to work softning thou mayest sob and sigh and beat thy brest above all thou must pray and call and cry with vehemency and fervency not to be uttered When thou hast done if the Lord do not yet hear thee pray again the next day and the next day yea put on this resolution that thou wilt never leave praying till the Lord hear thee in mercy till he make thee to feel thy heart melt within thee yea if it may be till thou seest thy * Ut hoc modo confring as capita draconum tuorum in aquis tears trickling down thy cheeks because of thy offences The Lord will perhaps hear thee at the first time or at the second time or if he do not persist thou thy suit is just and importunity will prevail yea I can say thy desire to sorrow being resolute it is a degree of godly sorrow it self and no doubt the Lord will increase it if thou begst hard a while Sect. 2. The first reason for this sorrow THis must be done first because without pangs no birth Quid sunt dolores parturientis nisi dolores poenitentis saith Saint Austin the pangs of a penitent man are as the pangs of a woman Aug. in Psal 48. Now as there can be no birth without pains of travel going before so neither true repentance without some terrors of the law and straits of conscience Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear saith the Apostle to the Romans and what is that but to shew us they once did receive it when but in the very first preparation to conversion then it was that the Spirit of God in the law did so bear witness unto them of their bondage that it made them to fear And certainly thus it is with every man in his first conversion his contrition must be compungent and vehement bruising breaking renting the heart and feeling the throws as a woman laboring of childe before there can be a new birth or the new creature be brought forth Sect. 3. The second reason for this sorrow AGain without contrition no Christ therefore it was that God first opened the eyes of our first parents to make them see and be sensible of their sin and misery Gen. 3.7 15. Chrysost in c. 3 Matth. hom 11. Gen. 3.7 before he promised Christ vers 15. therefore it was that John Baptist saith Chrysostome first throughly frighted the mindes of his hearers with the terror of judgement and expectation of torment and with the name of an axe and their rejection and entertainment of other children and by doubling the punishment to wit of being hewn down and cast into the fire and when he had thus every way tamed and taken down their stubbornness then at length he makes mention of Christ Why then is Christ seasonably revealed saith Musculus when the hearts of men being soundly pierced by preaching repentance Musc in Mat. c. 3. Sect. Tunc accedit Iesus Calvin in Esay 61. are possessed with a desire of his gracious righteousness Or if you will hear Calvin To whom is Christ promised but to them alone who are humbled and confounded with the sense of their own sins Certainly the first thing that draws to Christ is to consider our miserable estate without him No man will come to Christ except he be hungry no man will take Christs yoke upon him till he come to know and feel the weight of Satans yoke to this end therefore must every man be broken with threats and scourges and lashes of conscience that so despairing of himself he may flye unto Christ Sect. 4. The third reason for this sorrow AGain Iam. 4.10 without hearty sorrow no spiritual comfort We must first be humbled before the Lord and then he will lift us up Christ indeed was anointed to preach good tidings but to whom to the poor to the broken-hearted to the captives to them that are bound Esay 61.11 to the bruised Esay 61.11 God pours not the oyl of his mercy save into a broken vessel God never comforts throughly save where he findes humiliation and repentance for sin Forbes on Revel c. 14. The word of God saith one hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of his chosen First it falleth to mens ears as the sound of many waters a mighty great and confused sound and which commonly bringeth neither terror nor joy but yet a wondring and acknowledgement of a strange force and more then humane power this is that effect which many felt hearing Christ when they were astonished at his doctrine as teaching with authority Mar. 1.22 27. Luke 4.32 Iohn 7.46 what maner doctrine is this never man spake like this man The next effect is the voice of thunder which bringeth
high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones The condition is to be of a contrite and humble spirit and if thou art thus God is true who hath said it he dwels in thee to revive thy spirit and to revive thy heart Isa 61.1 The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted The condition is to be meek and broken hearted and if this be thy case then good tidings belong to thee and Christ is sent to binde up thy broken heart in the bundle of peace Jerem. 31.19 20. Surely after that I was turned I repented saith Ephraim and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Therefore saith God my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. The condition is to repent to be ashamed confounded for sin and if thy case be like Ephraims God is the same to thee his bowels yearn for thee he will surely have mercy on thee Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness The condition is to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ and this if thou dost then art thou blessed from the mouth of our Savior Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The condition is to labor and be heavy laden with sin and if thou art thus Gods Word is sure thou shalt have rest spiritual and eternal Revel 21.6 I will give unto him that is athirst of the water of life freely The condition is to thirst after the heavenly streams of Gods favor and Christs soveraign blood and this if thou dost then hast thou part in the fountain of the water of life that proceeds out of the throne of God Revel 22.1 and of the Lamb Revel 22.1 All these are so full of comfort that if thou but crush them with the hand of faith they cannot but yield some juyce of sweetness to thy afflicted soul Sect. 7. The means to apply the said promises I Said before it was enough for me to prepare the medicine it is thou must apply it yet if thou feelest a backwardness to perform thy part I shall tell thee of some means to incite thee and help thee onward to the performance of this duty Take then the promises and carry them as thou didst the Catalogue of thy sins into the presence of the Lord and faln down on thy knees beseech God for thy Saviors sake to encline thine heart to believe those promises If thou hast the repulse pray again and again yea resolve never to make prayer but to use this petition that the Lord would please to let thee have some feeling of the life of those promises Some soul may object I have no heart or spirit to pray yet use thy indeavor and in thy indeavors God may come in and whensoever thou feelest any of them to be spirit and life to thee whensoever thou feelest by a certain taste the joys of the Holy Ghost to fall upon thee O happy man that ever thou wast born then art thou to thy own knowledge new born indeed then hast thou without doubt done this most glorious exercise of passing thorow the new birth and then hast thou cause as thou canst not choose to sing and praise God day and night world without end Matth. 5.4 So true is that of Christ Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Amen Sect. 8. The Conclusion HEre is an end and to you to whom I have dedicated this work my conclusion is this The year hath now run his round since I first came amongst you and how the Lord hath wrought by me you your selves know best for my part if I did but know one poor soul amongst you truly converted by such a weak unworthy instrument I would ever think my self most happy in that soul and richly payed for my pains I know it neither Paul nor Apollo can do this except God give the increase howsoever I must tell you with Paul my desires have been this way I have since my coming travelled of you and travelled again that Christ might be formed in you Gal. 4.19 And what 's the issue once could the Lord say Shall I bring to the birth Isa 66.9 and not cause to bring forth and to joyn issue with you have I travelled of you in birth and not one of you brought forth the Lord forbid I confess beloved I have received from you many kindenesses of love now for the Lords sake do me this one kindeness more give me at least one soul among you that I may give it unto God O what a kindeness would you then do me not all the wealth in your Town nor all the increase of your state nor all you have or ever shall have would do me so much good in the day of my Lord Jesus as this one boon I ask then could I say Lord I have not lost the fruits of my labor in this Town see here the soul now shining in glory which I converted by thy power see here the soul of such a one and such a one which through thy grace and my ministery were converted unto thee If this were thus why then beloved you would bless me for ever and I should bless you for ever and we should all bless God for ever for this so gracious and so blessed a work Now the Lord of his goodness give you a sight of your sins and a true sorrow for sin and if not afore now yet now this day the Lord this day set his print and seal upon you The time draws on and I have but a minute a little time to speak to you for a farewel then let these last words take a deeper impression in your hearts if you would do all I would have you do I could wish no more but that to this humiliation or repentance you would adde charity or love the first you owe to God and the second to your neighbor by the first you might become new creatures by the second true Christians like them in the Churches infancy of one minde one heart and one soul sure it is not possible that we should have forgiveness of sins but that we must be of the communion of Saints A thousand pities it is to hear of the many factions in our Church and Kingdoms and Towns and Families O pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love it and let us pray as need we have too for our own peace one with another You cannot come to a Communion but you hear this lesson in the invitation You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and be in love and charity with your neighbors c. Here 's both repentance to God and Charity nay more then charity as we use the word commonly even love of your neighbors For my part I wish that my very heart-blood could cement the divisions of Reuben for which are great thoughts of heart in this Town Iudg. 5.15 in this Church in these Kingdoms 2 Cor. 13.11 I will say no more but conclude with those words of the Apostle Finally brethren fare ye well be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you for ever and ever FINIS
this case Can he enter into heaven that savours all of earth Will those precious gates of gold and pearls open to a sinner No he must first be new moulded and sanctified or he is excepted Except a man be new born Secondly Except This and man is Gods enemy no greater opposition than betwixt God and a sinner Consider we him in his essence or in his attributes in his essence he is called Jehovah both in respect of his being and of his promises in respect of his being and so God is contrary to sin for sin is ataxy disorder confusion a not-being and God is order perfection holiness an absolute and a simple being in respect likewise of his promises wherein there is a main opposition to sin for howsoever he promiseth a reward to the regenerate and so the name Jehovah is a golden pledge unto us Psal 11.6 that if we repent he will forgive us yet withal he promiseth storms and tempest fire and perdition to the unregenerate and thus his name and nature is altogether opposite to sin and sinners But view we those attributes of God I mean his Justice truth patience holiness anger power his Justice in punishing the impenitent according to his deserts his truth effecting those plagues which he hath spoken in his time his patience forbearing sins destruction till they are grown full ripe his holiness abhorring all impurities He cannot behold iniquity his anger stirring up revenge against all offered injuries his power mustring up his forces yea all his creatures against his enemies and what can we say but if all these attributes are at enmity with sinful man woe worth to man because of offences better he had never been born then not to be new born alas what shall become of him Can he that is Gods enemy see God in his glory no there is no way but one Except he repent Except he be born again Thirdly Ephes 2.12 1 Cor. 5.17 Except by a new birth man is without Christ for If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And if he be not in Christ what hopes of that man It is onely Christ that opens Heaven it is onely Christ that is the Way to Heaven besides him there is no Way no Truth no Life and if we be in him as the branch in the vine it is of necessity that we bring forth good fruit Upon these terms his death is effectual if we become new creatures or otherwise all his Merits his blood that was shed his body that was crucified his soul that was agonized they are nothing unto us we nothing bettered by them he dyed for all but his death is not applyed his Kingdom is not opened save onely unto them that have learned and practised this rule of Exception Except a man be born again Fourthly Except before Excepted a man is a very limb of Satan a childe of darkness and one of the Family of Hell Consider this ye that are out of the state of Grace in what miserable thraldom is your souls Should any call you servants or slaves of Satan you would take it highly in disdain but take it as you please if you are not regenerate you are in no better case Paul appeals to your own knowledge Rom. 6.16 23. Know you not that to whomsoever you give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 23. If then ye obey the Devils suggestions which you do being unborn what are you but the Devils servants And if he be your Master what is you wages You may see it in the last verse The wages of sin is death death of the body and death of the soul death here and death hereafter in Hell fire Alas that Satan should have this power on man that he who is the enemy and means nothing to a sinner but death and damnation should be his Lord and Tyrannize it over him at his own will and pleasure Would any man be hired to serve Lyons and Tygers 1 Pet. 5.8 And is not the Devil a roaring Lyon walking about and seeking whom he may devour To serve him that would devour his servant is a most miserable bondage and what pay can one expect from Devils but roaring and devouring and tearing souls In this plight are the servants of Corruption slaves of Satan so I rightly call them for Of whomsoever a man is overcome 2 Pet. 2.19 even unto the same is he in bondage 2 Peter 2.19 To winde up this point Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy Holy Mountain If we believe David Not he that slandereth with his tongue or doth evil to his Neighbor Psa 15.1 3 5. Or giveth his money upon Vsury or taketh a reward against the innocent No such are servants of Satan and here is matter of Exception against them Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God The sum of all Without Regeneration no Kingdom for whether we consider man in regard of himself or of God or of Christ or of Satan he is Except he be new born unholy Gods enemy out of Christ in Satan And if the New Birth be thus necessary Vse how should we (a) Thus is the language of God I said Behold me to a nation that was not called by my Name Isa 65.1 labor to be born again I mean not as Nicodemus to enter into our mothers womb again and be born It is not the seed of man in the womb of our Mother but the seed of Grace in the womb of the Church that makes us blessed and if we are thus born by Grace then are we sanctified made Sons of God Heirs with Christ over whom Satan can have no power at all Now then as you tender your souls and desire Heaven at your ends (b) Thus whilest the Minister speaks its Christ comes with power in the word Eze. 18.31 endeavor to attain this one thing necessary (c) Pray because God bids you pray it may be he will come in when you pray When Simon Magus was in the gall of bitterness Peter bid him pray Actâ— 8 22. Lift up your hearts unto God that you may be washed justified sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and that by the Spirit of God you may walk in new ways talk with new tongues as being new creatures created unto good works Thus would you (d) Not that we can wait by a power of our own but he that saith Therefore will the Lord wait that be may be gracious to you Isa 30.18 He draws and gives a power to wait on him and he comes in when he hath waited the fittest time wait on God in his way I trust the Lord in mercy would remember you and his Spirit would blow upon you and then you would finde and feel such a change within you as that you would bless God for ever that you were thus born again Otherwise how
nature in diverse respects to their several causalities Thus a man must have repentance before he have saving and justifying faith and yet a man must have faith before the work of repentance be perfect in the soul As we maintain repentance to be a precedent work so we deny it not to be a subsequent effect Sorrow is before the birth too as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 7.10 7.10 Godly sorrow works repentance that is sorrow prepares a man for repentance it goes afore it and prepares for it And now it is that Gods spirit begins to renew his heart as God himself proclaimeth I will put a new spirit within them and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies and will give them an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 Ezek. 11.19 his heart that before was hard as flint now begins to relent and soften and break in pieces Acts 2.37 How so it is Gods Spirit that pricks the heart and this pricking softens it Dum pungit ungit saith Jorom Hieronym Compunction softens and supples the heart so that be it never so stony presently it becomes an heart of flesh you know those that are apt to weep or yern or sorrow we call them tender-hearted you may be sure then he that is prickt till his heart bleed inwardly he that weeps blood which every heart doth that is prickt on this maner sure his heart is tender indeed I say tender for as the very word imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his heart weeps why his heart is broken David joyns these together A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psalm 51.17 Psal 51.17 And no wonder if an heart that is broken and rent and wounded and prickt falls a weeping blood well might David say when he was broken Psal 38.8 I have wept Psal 38.8 nay more I have roared for the very grief or disquietness of my heart and again My soul or my heart melteth or droppeth for very heaviness Not that his heart dropt indeed Psal 119.28 but because the tears which he shed were not drops of water running onely from his eyes an onion may cause so much but issuing from his heart which heart being grieved and sore grieved it is said to be wounded and so his tears coming from it they may be called no less then very blood drops of blood issuing from a wounded heart Thus it is with the man now laboring in his new birth his heart grieves his eye weeps whence the Proverb The way to heaven is by weeping cross the way to Gods kingdom is to cry like children coming into the world the way to be new born is to feel throws as a woman laboring of childe and so is Christ formed in us Can a man be born again without bitterness of soul no if ever he come to a sight of sin and that Gods sanctifying Spirit work in him sorrow for sin his soul will mourn till he may say with Jeremy Mine eye droppeth without stay mine eye breaketh my heart because of all the daughters of my City because of all the sins of my soul Lament 3.51 True it is Lam. 3.49 51. as some infants are born with more pain to the mother and some with less so may the new man be regenerated in some with more in some with less anxiety of travel but more or less it cannot be so little but the man that labors in these pangs shall mourn and mourn There shall be a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon Zach. 12.11 What else Zach. 12.11 He cannot look on a Saint that sailed not first through the Ocean of tears and therefore he falls on his face with Abraham Gen. 17.17 Gen. 32.24 Iob 3. 1 Sam. 1.15 Psal 119.136 Isa 38.14 he wrestles with God like Jacob he roars out his grief with Job he pours out his soul with Hanna he weeps rivers of tears with David he mourns as a dove with Hezekiah yea like a crane or a swallow so doth he chatter Isa 38.14 O the bitter pangs and sore travel of a man when he must be born again The fourth step is Seeking rightly for comfort He runs not to the world or flesh or Divel miserable comforters all but to Scripture to Prayer or to the Ministery of Gods word if he finde comfort in Scriptures he meets with it in the * Lex ostendit peccatum at Solum Evangelium peccati remedium Aug. tract 17. in Joh. Gospel not the Law but the Gospel saith the Apostle is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 The Law is indeed the ministery of death and damnation 2 Cor. 3.7 but the Gospel is the glad tidings of salvation Luk. 2.10 The Law shews a man his wretched estate but shews him no remedy and yet we abolish not the Law in ascribing this comfort to the Gospel onely Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 3.7 Luk. 2.10 though it be no cause of it yet is it the occasion of it those doleful terrors and fears of conscience begotten by the Law may be in their own nature the very gates and downfal to the pit of hell yet I cannot deny but they are certain occasions of receiving grace and if it please God that the man now laboring in his pangs of the new birth do but rightly settle his thoughts on the Gospel of Christ no doubt but thence he may suck the sweetest comforts and delights that ever were revealed to man Or if he finde comfort in prayer to which he ever and anon repairs in every of these steps then is it by Christ in whose name onely he approacheth to that heavenly throne of grace no sooner had the King of Niniveh humbled himself but his proclamation runs Ionah 3.8 9. Let man and beast be covered with sack cloth and cry mightily unto God Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not and thus the man now wrestling with the grievous afflictions and terrors of his conscience Who can tell saith he if God will turn away his fierce anger let me then cry mightily unto the Lord of heaven let me cry and continue crying until the Lord of mercy do in mercy look upon me and if for all this God give him a repulse for reasons best known to himself if at the first second third fourth or at many more times he seem to have cryed in vain at last he flyes to the ministery of the Word and if he may have his will he would hit upon the most skilful experienced searching and sound-dealing man amongst all Gods Messengers thus was it with Peters hearers whose hearts being pricked and rent with legal terrors then could they begin to cry it out Men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2.37 Act. 2.37 Thus was it with the Jaylor who after his trembling and falling down to
will to preserve thee from sin to prepare thee for growth unto full holiness and righteousness this was the effect of Jeremiahs prayer Convert me O Lord Ier. 31.18 and I shall be converted heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me Ier. 17.14 O Lord and I shall be saved Turn thou us O good Lord and so shall we be turned Jer. 17.14 and Lament 5.21 Lam. 5.21 It is the Lord that converts and heals and saves and turns and Prayer is the means to produce this effect in thee when we are required to pray to repent and believe we are not to seek strength in our selves but to search into the Covenant and turn the promise into prayer As the Command is Repent Act. 17.30 Now the Covenant is Christ shall give repentance Act. 5.31 and therefore pray Turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 then bow thy knees and humbly heartily frequently fervently implore the influence of Gods blessed spirit Cry with the Spouse in the Canticles Awake O North-wind Cant. 4.16 and come thou South-wind and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Cantic 4.16 The more rushing and mighty this wind of the Spirit is the more will he make thee fructifie in his graces and blessings therefore cry again and again O Lord Psal 51.10 let thy Spirit come upon me create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me O Lord Jesu send thy Spirit into me which may restore me from this death of sin unto the life of holiness Thus wouldest thou ask and continue asking thus wouldest thou cry and continue crying then could I assure thee of the promise which God hath made and cannot deny he that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and Matth 7.8 to him that knocketh by continuance and perseverance it shall be opened Mat. 7.8 The second wing or hand that bears and leads thee to these steps of the new birth is Constant hearing of the Word thou must attend the gates of wisdom and wait on her posts thou must come to Gods house and hearken to the ministery of the Word no doubt but if thou beest constant in this duty God will stir up some good Samuel God will use some of his Priests consecrated to that office to beget thee again Understand this soberly for if Jesus Christ himself should preach to the soul every day and give not out of himself the ordinance would be empty to it it is Christs coming in to his people in the ordinances that onely fills the empty soul with good things To this purpose are Gods Ministers called Spiritual Fathers I have begotten you saith Saint Paul through the ministration of the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Cor. 4.15 The Pastors tongue is the Lords Conduit-pipe and hereby he drives the sweet and wholsom waters of life into the souls of his chosen onely do thou frequent the means and thou shalt see at one time or other God will remember thee in mercy It is true I know not when and therefore I wish thee miss no Lords-day to repair to Gods house lest the day of thy neglect might have been the day of thy conversion certain it is no man should expect Gods blessing without his ordinances no eating of bread without plowing and sowing no recovering of health without eating and drinking no posting on land without somewhat to ride on no passage on seas without somewhat to sail in so no blessing no grace no regeneration no new birth at all without waiting upon God in his ways and in his ordinances Now then as thou desirest heaven or the way to heaven to be born again I beseech thee make high account of this ordinance of God the preaching of his Word In preaching of the Gospel light motion and power goes out to all which men resist and some are destroyed not because they could not believe but because they resist and will not obey and so dye Act. 7.51 Luke 13.34 Ezek. 33.11 Hos 13.9 and yet I wish thee not onely to hear it but after thou hast heard consider of it ponder on it and lay the threats and reproofs the precepts and promises unto thine own soul thus if thou hearest and meditatest I doubt not but Gods word will be a Word of power to thee and together with prayer bring thee towards the new birth whither except a man come he cannot possibly see the kingdom of God Thus far of the new birth Gen. 28.12 you see we have mounted those steps whose top like Jacobs ladder reacheth up to heaven witness the next word he that is born again shall see the kingdom of God but he that is not born again he cannot see the kingdom of God He cannot see the kingdom of God THe priviledges of the new birth are these two to see and to see the kingdom of God First to see Which is all one saith a Modern as to enjoy Aretius in loc yet a man may see that which he doth not enjoy but without regeneration there is no sight much less possession of the kingdom of God To see then is the lesser happiness of which the unregenerate are debarred but to see in it self is a great and gracious priviledge to which the regenerate are admitted for whether by Gods kingdom be meant the kingdom of grace or the kingdom of glory Happy are the eyes that see these things But whose eyes are they If we examine the unregenerate he sees no whit into the awful Majesty of God the Father he sees no whit of the beauty mercy and pity of his Savior he sees no whit into that glorious highness of Gods Spirit in Heaven nor yet of his nighness to his brethren on earth Hence it is that when he comes into the Temple among the Congregation of Gods Saints his soul is not delighted with their prayers praises Psalms and Service he sees no comfort no pleasure no content in their actions But the new man is of better sight the graces of the Spirit and the ward-robe of Gods glory are all produced to his eye as if the Lord should say Come and see so Moses Stand still and see the salvation of God Venite videte Psal 46.8 Exod. 14.13 Ephes 1.18 Revâ—l 3.18 so Christ to his Apostles It is given to your eyes to see these things to others but by parables He that is born again hath a spiritual eye and a celestial object The eye of his understanding is enlightned saith St. Paul anointed saith S. John To what end But that he may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints Ephes 1.18 See a priviledge of which the unregenerate is ever barred his minde is dark even darkness it self Ephes 5.8 And therefore it is no wonder Ephes 5.8 what is said by our Savior that he cannot cannot see the kingdom of God
Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isaiah 64.4 Isa 64.4 Waiting patiently saith a Modern for the Lords coming to comfort us either in temporal or spiritual distresses is a right pleasing and acceptable duty and service unto God which he is wont to crown with multiplyed and overflowing refreshings when he comes To this end saith the Prophet They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 Isa 40.31 Nay and should a man dye saith my Author in this state of waiting if his heart in the mean time sincerely hate all sin heartily thirst for the mercy of God in Christ and resolve truly upon new universal obedience for the time to come he shall certainly be saved because the holy Ghost saith Blessed are all they that wait for him Isa 30.18 Isa 30.18 Or if this will not satisfie his desire let his desire quicken and set on work with extraordinary fervency the spirit of prayer let him have recourse again and again unto the promises of Scripture towards the poor heavy-laden penitent souls and when the time is come if it will come which God hath appointed then shall he feel this joy unspeakable the joy of the Holy Ghost and this is the head the height the top the highest step in this kingdom of grace the kingdom of God Or secondly if by the kingdom of God is meant the kingdom of glory see then what a priviledge waits on the new man no sooner shall his breath and body be divorced but his soul mounted on the wings of Angels shall straight be carried above the starry firmament there shall it inherit the kingdom Luke 12.32 Luke 12.32 Matth. 7.21 Acts 14.22 an heavenly kingdom Matth. 7.21 the kingdom of God Act. 14.22 and truly called so for 't is a kingdom of Gods own making beautifying and blessing a kingdom beseeming the glorious residence of the King of kings a kingdom creating all Kings that but inhabit in it But here my discourse must give way to your meditations I cannot speak this priviledge therefore conclude with Austin Augustin Anima quae amat ascendat frequenter currat per plateas caelestis Jerusalem visitando Patriarchas salutando Prophetas admirando exercitus Mount your meditations on the wings of faith and behold in Heaven those states of wonder Patriarchs shining Prophets praising Saints admiring hands clapping harps warbling hearts dancing the exercise a song the ditty Alleluiah the quiristers Saints the consorts Angels c. See more of this in my last things In this fountain of pleasure let the new-born Christian bathe his soul for his it is and he it is onely that shall see it injoy it Except the man born again no man shall ever see the kingdom of God Thus far of the priviledges of the new birth there waits on it the eye of faith and righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in a word the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory And now beloved say Vse what would you do to obtain these priviledges should any hand reach you a Crown for the pains to take it should any but cast at your feet a bag of gold and you might make it your own for the stooping would you not for so great a reward do so little a service Matth. 11.30 and what is Gods service but perfect freedom the yoke is easie the burthen is light but the reward is grace glory endless felicity Bestir then your selves and if ever you mean to see the kingdom of God endeavor to run through this new birth and to lead a better life then heretofore you have done Thus whilest the Minister speaks Christ comes with power and therefore he speaks and perswades I conclude with my speeth to thee whosoever thou art into whose hands this Book is fallen the truth is the work is weak and answerable in that kinde to the Author of it many and many a stitch in my side many a pull at my heart many a gripe in my stomack besides the pangs of my soul endeavoring to practice what I have writ have I suffered and felt since I first begun it and yet the comfort I have received my self in this one necessary thing hath made me contrary to the desires of my best friends to run through this short work by taking a longer time as my continual disease would now and then suffer me If when I am gone thou reapest any spiritual good by this my surviving pains it is next to Gods glory all my desire Yet I live but to save thy soul I care not how soon I might dye yea on that condition I could be willing if God so pleased the lines that thou readest were writ with the warmest blood in my heart willing said I yea I could be willing and glad as little blood as I have in my body to let it run and run for thy spiritual good to the very last drop in my veins I say no more consider what I have said Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God An appendix containing a more particular Method for the man not yet born again to have his part in the second birth CHAP. I. The occasion and method of this Treatise SOme there are who hearing the new birth or first repentance to be so necessary to salvation but never feeling in themselves any such change or conversion have therefore desired further helps though naturally thou art blinde and wretched and miserable and poor and naked yet the Lord hath not left thee without means and helps to this purpose he hath set up his ordinances not that man of himself can dispose himself unto grace but that the Spirit of Christ in the use of the ordinances without any habitual or sanctifying grace in mans heart can dispose of man to the reception of habitual or sanctifying grace True it is I advised them in the former Treatise to be frequent in prayer and in hearing of the word But so we have done say they and yet we feel no conversion it may be so for not always the doing of them but perseverance in them through Christ obtains the blessing desired And yet if they will out of hand settle themselves to the work It is the Lord that saith Break up the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 i. seek to the Lord to break them for thee Be in the use of the means and the Lord may come in and break thy heart I shall for their further satisfaction give them a more particular Method and without a Text taken take my self more liberty to put them in the way Two things I suppose necessary for them that would have part in the new birth 1.
of sins and led an holy and religious life that so thou mayest enter into that rest of heaven Heb. 4.11 Thirdly hast thou always prepared thy heart before thou wentest into the house of the Lord by meditation of Gods Word and Works by examination and reformation of thy ways by prayer thanksgiving and holy resolution to carry thy self as in Gods presence and to hear and obey whatsoever thou shouldst learn out of the pure Word of God Fourthly hast thou repaired to Gods house in due time and stayed the whole time of Prayer reading preaching of the Word singing of Psalms receiving of the Sacraments Fifthly hast thou performed private religious offices upon the Lords day to wit In private prayer and thanksgiving in acknowledging thy offences to God in reconciling thy self to those thou hast offended or with whom thou art at variance in visiting the sick comforting the afflicted contributing to the necessity of the poor instructing thy Children and servants and the rest of thy family in the fear and nurture of the Lord Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometime spent the Lords day in idleness Ezek. 46.10 or in wordly business in vanities or in sin Secondly hast thou not omitted publique duties or comest in too late or wentest out too soon Nehem. 10.31 and 13.15 Thirdly hast thou not on those days sold wares carried burthens brought in sheaves or wrought in the harvest Fourthly hast thou not employed thy cattel or servants or children or any other though thou workest not thy self Fifthly hast thou not profaned the Lords day by needless works words or thoughts about thy calling or about thy recreation Sixthly have not the strict observance of the duties of that day been tedious unto thee saying in thine heart When will the day be gone Amos 8.5 If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Sect. 6. Sins against the fifth Commandment IT is the fifth Commandment Honor thy father and thy mother For the duties here required they are either in Family Common-weal Church First Ephes 5.25 1 Pet. 3.7 for the Family Say if thou art an husband 1. Hast thou ever loved thy wife and dealt with her according to knowledge giving honor to her as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers were not hindred If thou art a wife Eph 5.22 24. 1 Pet. 3.4 2. Hast thou submitted to thine own husband as unto the Lord in every thing 3. Hast thou put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price If thou art a parent 4. Ephes 6.4 Hast thou brought up thy children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 5. Hast thou corrected them yet not provoked them by immoderate correction 6. Hast thou provided for them in their callings 2 Tim. 5.8 Rom. 1.30 or outward estates If thou art a childe 7. Hast thou obeyed thy parents and received correction with submission and reverence 8. Heb. 12.9 Hast thou relieved them in their wants 9. Hast thou observed their instructions and covered their infirmities If thou art a master 10. Hast thou entertained Gods servants Prov. 15.15 Gen. 9.22 Col. 4.1 Tit. 2.9 10. and given unto thy servant that which is just and equal If thou art a servant 11. Hast thou been obedient to thy master according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ Not answering again not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity Secondly for the Common-weal if thou art a Magistrate 12. Hast thou executed just laws 13. Hast thou reformed others abuses according to the power that is in thee If thou art a Subject 14. Hast thou obeyed the higher Powers in all just commands 15. Hast thou been subject unto them Rom. 13.5 not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Thirdly for the Church If thou art a Minister 16. Hast thou taught in season and out of season 17. Hath thy light shined before men that they might see thy good works Matth. 5.16 Gal. 6.6 Heb 13 7 17 18. If thou art a hearer 18. Hast thou communicated to them that teach thee in all good things 19. Hast thou obeyed them and prayed for them and loved them and followed them considering the end of their conversation Or for the sins here forbidden And first for the Family Say if thou art an husband 1. Prov. 21.19 Hast thou not sometimes abused thy wife or smitten her or injured her in thought word or deed If thou art a wife 2. Hast thou not been wasteful or froward or idle If thou art a childe 3. Hast thou not despised thy fathers or mothers instructions Prov. 15.5 Prov. 30.17 and 20.20 4. Hast thou not mocked them or despised them or cursed them or smitten them or shamed them or grieved them If thou art a master 5. Hast thou not governed thy family negligently 6. Hast thou not with-held that which is just and equal in diet wages encouragement If thou art a servant 7. Hast thou not been idle and slothful 8. Hast thou not served grudgingly and not from the heart Secondly for the Common-weal If thou art a Magistrate 9. Hast thou not been as a Lyon or a Bear roaring and ranging over the poor people Prov. 28.15 Esa 10.1 10. Hast thou not decreed unrighteous decrees respecting the persons of the poor or honoring the persons of the mighty If thou art a Subject 11. Hast thou not reviled the Gods Levit. 19.15 Exod. 12.28 Rom. 13.1 7. or cursed the Ruler of thy people 12. Hast thou not disobeyed the higher Powers or not denied tribute or custom or honor or fear to whom they are due Thirdly for the Church if thou art a Minister 13. Hast thou not been prophane and wicked in thy life and conversation Ierem. 23.11 14. Hast thou not run before thou wast sent or being sent hast thou not been negligent in the gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4.14 Ierem. 23.13 16. Hast thou not prophesied in Baal and caused Gods people to erre 17. Hast thou not committed simony or sought indirectly for the fleece not regarding respectively the flock 18. Hast thou not strengthened the hands of evil doers Ierem. 23.14 in preaching peace to wicked men 19. Hast thou not given heed to fables or to some unprofitable matter rather than to godly edifying 1 Tim. 1.4 which is in faith If thou art an hearer 20 Hast thou not resisted the Minister and the Word preached by him Gal. 6.6 Heb. 13.7 17 18. whatsoever thou art husband or wife or parent or childe or master or servant or Magistrate or Subject or Minister or hearer if in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broke this Commandment Honor thy father and thy mother Sect.
not onely wonder but fear also not onely filleth the ears with sound and the heart with astonishment but moreover shaketh and terrifieth the conscience The third effect is the sound of harping while the word not onely ravisheth with admiration and striketh the conscience with terror but also lastly filleth it with sweet peace and joy Now albeit the two first degrees may be without the last yet none feel the last who have not in some degree felt both the first He saith true in some degree though commonly the deeper is the sense of misery the sweeter is the sense of mercy In our dead security before conversion saith another God is fain to let the law sin conscience Satan Boltons instructions for afflicted consciences a deep sense of our abominable and cursed state loose upon us and to kindle the very fire of hell in our souls that so we might be rouzed and afterward more sweetly and soundly raised and refreshed for after the most toylsome labor is the sweetest sleep after the greatest tempests the stillest calms sanctified troubles and terrors establish the surest peace and the shaking of these winds makes the trees of Gods Eden take the better rooting CHAP. V. Sect. 1. The means to be delivered out of the pangs of the new birth ANd now if by Gods blessing thou feelest this sorrow and melting of heart the next thing thou must do is to seek for the remedy which remedy consists of these ingredients First A sight of Christ secondly A desire after Christ thirdly A relying on Christ fourthly An obedience to Christ fifthly A comfort in Christ sought for and obtained Thou wilt say these ingredients are pearls indeed but how should I procure them I answer by application of the promises and sith every ingredient hath its particular promises I shall let thee see them in order onely do thou apply them thy self it is enough for the Physitian to prepare the medicine thy own body must receive it so in this medicine it is thou must apply it if thou wilt have souls-health Sect. 2. The promises procuring a sight of Christ THe first step or ingredient that brings comfort to thy heavy soul is the sight of Christ and to procure this sight thou hast these promises Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Luke 2.10 11. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people that is that unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have life everlasting John 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world that he should condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Rom. 3.25 God hath set forth Christ Jesus to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying and by all means worthy to be received that Christ Jesus came inâ—o the world to save sinners Heb. 13.12 Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate 1 John 2.1 2. If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for us onely but also the sins of the whole world Revel 5.8 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation All these tell thee that as thou art a sinner so thou hast a Savior onely do thou apply them and certainly they will procure thee the first step the first ingredient of this remedy to thy misery to wit the sight of Christ Sect. 3. The promises procuring a desire after Christ THou mayst say I see Christ and I see that his person and death and blood-shed are precious and saving but how may I make him mine how may I know that he is my Savior I answer thou must hunger and thirst after him this desire is the second step and to provoke thee to this duty consider of these promises Esay 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled John 7.37 38. In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink he that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Revel 21.6 I will give to him that is athirst of the water of life freely Revel 22.17 Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth greatly after thee in a barren and dry land without water Psal 145.19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him All these may provoke thee to thirst after Christ that most soveraign and soul saving fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 Sect. 4. The promises procuring a relying on Christ YEt thou mayest say I thirst indeed but I dare not drink I desire but I dare not come neer to lay hold on Christ How so I am sayest thou a most vile unworthy wicked wretch and my sins are of a scarlet crimson die True it is for thee to pretend part in Christ wallowing yet in thy sins for thee to believe that Christ is thy righteousness purposing yet to go on in the practice or allowance of any one known sin it were a most cursed horrible presumption indeed but where all sin is a burthen every promise as a world of gold and the heart sincere for a new way there a man may be bold A man may yes he must if thou groanest under sin if thou longest after Christ apply these promises and they will force thee to lay hold upon the Rock to take Christ for thine own to throw thy sinful soul upon the bleeding wounds of Jesus and to cast thy self with confidence into the bosom of his love First then Boltons Instructions for afflicted conscience Take notice saith a Modern that Jesus Christ keeps open house for all hungry and thirsty souls Revel 22.17 Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Or if open house will not fit without invitation hear him call Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all