as should be saved Act. 4 last Thus you see that God himselfe is the Authour and cause of our new Birth it is the proper and peculiar worke of God to beget voluntariè nos genuit of his will he begâ—te us And yet you may please to observe that as this act of regeneration is attributed to God the Father as it is in this place So sometimes it is attributed to God the Sonne as Esai 53. 10. Beleevers are called his seed that he might see his seed he made his soule a sacrifice for sinne Sometimes to the spirit of God as in Jo. 3 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flâ—sh and the winde bloweth it so is every one that is borne of the spirit It is God the Fathers will he begets us of his will Christ the Sonnes merit Gal. 4 4. When the fulnesse c. to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of the Sonne God the Holy Ghosts efficacy and power by the Spirit of Gods sanctifying and over-shadowing the Soule the new Man is quickned and made sometimes it is attributed to all the three persons in Trinity together as in that notable place Tit. 3 7. By his mercy he saved us by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he abundantly shed in our hearts through Christ Jesus There we have the three persons together in two verses and here all the cause of our regeneration in one a parallel whereunto you shâ—ll hardly finde in the whole New Testament But God as I said he is the principall author and cause His Ministers but instrumentall yet as his Ministers they are and may very well be called Fathers And this near relation should warme the hearts of Ministers with an indulgent and paternall care and affection to beare great good will towards them and as Moses is commanded to carry them in his bosome And as Aaron when he went up to pray or to sacrifice he went up with the names of the twelve Tribes written upon his breast plate So the Ministers of the New Testament the Pastors of Christs Church according to that Typâ— ought to put up in all his devotion the prayers and supplications the wants of his people with his owne As Saint Paul calls his people his Epistle written in his hâ—art so shall the people be in their Pastours Aâ— S. Pauls â—â—â—â—ts desire and prayer to Israel waâ— c. Indeed the New Testament is nothing else but Jesus Christs Letter and Epistle writ from Heaven unto his Church the mind of God expressed to Man by Christ who sitâ— at the right hand of the Father making those Prayers and Petitions of ours which are imperfect in themselves to be more perfect by his mediation And as these instruments of Regeneration are called Fathers both in the Old Testament My Father my Father c. cryes Elisha to Elias Jehoram to him a wicked man yet hâ—s had more grace than some have now to call the Prophet his Father Worse names now must be digested So Saint Paul calls them Nurses or Mothers too 1 Thes 2. 7. There he putâ— upon himselfe the indulgence of a Mother as afterward the affection of a Father vâ—r 11. shâ—wing that as he did not occasionally forget to use the gravity of a Father in his exhortations and instructions so other whiles he puts upon him the meeknessâ— and softnesse and tendernessâ— of a Mother or of an affectionate Nurse Mothers and Nurses having a sympathy and fellow-feeling of their Childrens estates the Mother knowing by naturall instinct when the child is sick and diseased when it is distempered and pained and will accordingly apply her selfe to give it ease and not alwayes give it its humour nor what it cryes for So Gods Ministers should be willing to free their people from distemper and disorder from thâ— corruption and error of the times feeding them with wholsome and sound doctrine with the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby not with fancies and humours and their owne inventions and imaginations for with griefe be it spoken we are falne from the worshipping of Images to the worshipping of Imaginations which as it breeds sicknesses in young children to let them eaâ—â— what they will so it breeds factions and divisions and â—xtreame distemperatures in States when they are suffered to bâ— carryed about with every wind of doctrine and every windy doctrine as the Israeliâ—es by Aarons permission and sufferance worshipped the Cllfe of their owne making And it teacheth the people againe since they stand in so nâ—â—r a relation to their Ministers as Children to Parents to carry a filiall and dutifull affâ—ction towards their Pastours as they carry a loving carefull and paternall heart and eye towards them and their good The want of which reciprocall loving kindnesse and affection when Father and Children Mâ—nister and People Master and Servant have had a greater desire to have their humours fed than their soules edified have not onely caused great râ—nts and divâ—sions which with Râ—â—bens caused great grâ—efe and sorrow of heart but I dare say hath grâ—â—ved the blessed and holy Spirit of God the sole worker of our Regeneration and by whom we are sealed unto the day of Redemption the Spirit of God witnessing to our spirits that we are the sons of God Rom. 8. Thirdly this calls upon the great Fathers of the Common-wealth who are called Gods being next to him and Patres Patriae thâ— Fathers of this Country nay of the Common-wealth and State to see with what meat their Children their Subjects are fed for as I said they are Pastours and Fathers too Isaiah calls them Nursing fathers and Nursing mothers and prophesies that in the great Reformation Kings should be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers That is God would raise up the great Potentates and Princes of the â—arth to provide that the people should be fed with wholsome food that living waters should flow abundantly from the threshold of the Sanctuary and that all people should know the Lord from the greatest to the least Hence it followes necessarily that the Supreame Magistrate â—e seasoned with Religion and what a sweet perfume followes such Princes see in the â—xamples of Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Josiah Hâ—zâ—kiah c. and not irreligious or Popishly affected but soundly and firmly grounded for which we may blesse God that he be a sincere worshipper and server of God the feare of God being the beginning of wisdome and a man being never truly intelligent untill he be obedient The best Plot is to save a soule For if that be true which they say in nature is true and certaine That what disease or infection the Nurse hath the sucking child will partake of and as the Parent is affected so for the most part is the Childs inclination and disposition Surely and without all question it will fare so in this If God please to give us a Magistrate which is godly and
Israel is hâ—linesse to the Lord. They are his treasure the people that he onely looketh at and after upon whom he sets his love his eyes are always upon them for good The eye of the Lord is over the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers The World are his goods thâ— Earth is the Lords and all that therein is the round world c. But they are his treasure and as where a mans treasure is there his heart will be so is Gods heart upon his treasure upon his secret ones upon his peculiar He writes them upon the palm of his hand he sâ—ales them upon his heart they are as deare and near unto him as the Apple of his Eye A book of remembrance is written for them that feare the Lord Mal. 3. 16. God will certainly remember the services of his children and not forget the labour of their love nor the good they doe Heb. 6. 10. Saint Peter as you you have heard gives the Jewes an eminent and transcendent Title having honoured them with these Denominations a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation he adds what the Apostle here intimates a peculiar people populus acquisitionis a peculiar people And two reasons may be given of this appellation 1. They are a peculiar people because God hath every way fashioned them for himself 2. Because as I told you they are a peculiar people or the first fruits of his creatures set apart and consecrate for his service and worship They are his treasure his onely treasure all he hath the righteous comprehend all Gods gettâ—ngs All other men are Gods creatures but these are the first fruâ—ts of his creatures and as they are consecrate to him so they often consecrate and blesse them and I am sure if they be not bettered by their conversation they are blessed by their protection 3. Which is a bold assertion it is a dignity above the Angels to be the sons of God by regeneration and to be redeemed by Christ For 1. The Angels fell he lets them lie in their fall he reservâ—s and keeps them in chaines of darknesse till the judgement Man fell and God presently sends him nay gives him by word of mouth a promise of a Redeemer That the seed of the woman c. So that God did more in our restauration and redemption in our regeneration than he did for the Angels of Heaven 2. To which of the Angels said he Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He that is Christ took not the seed of Angels but the seed of Abraham And again He was made of the seed of David Rom. 1. 3. He in no sort took the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Christ to fit himself for Mans salvation took upon him an humane body the nature of Man and in this kind dignified and honoured Mans nâ—ture above the Angels And this I dare say seemeth to be a greater preheminence and dignity of the children of God above the Angels in regard there is a neerer conjuâ—ct on between Christ and us than between Christ and the Angels I meane in nature and person not in place In place indeed the Angels are neerer unto God than Man being in Heaven and seeing the face of God his glorious face but in nature the children of God are nearer than they are for you have it expresly said That Christ was made of the seed of David 3. Adde hereunto that he took upon him this seed in the womb of the blessed Virgin in his Incarnation so that by his Conception and Incarnation he was made one with us and we wâ—th him And why did he take our nature upon him and not ouâ— nature onely but the contumelies of our nature so base and meane that they are not to be named why did he this but to redeeme us that were lost when our fall in Adam made us liable to eternall death and left every mothers child of us in the merit and guilt of condemnation When he took upon him to deliver Man he did not abhor the Virgins womb Surely the Virgins womb was not so puâ—e or cleane a placâ— but the glorious and great God might have abhorred and despised it but when he took upon him to deliver Man he did not Blessed be his Name therefore who was borne that we might not die who was made the Son of Man that we might be made the sons of God Ideâ— Filius Dei factus â—st homo ut homines faceret filios Dei Adde hereunto that the Angels of Heaven desiâ—e earnestly to look into this mysterie of our Redemption and doe attend it 1 Pet. 1. 11. it doth them good at the heart to see their places filled and supplyed by men from which the evill Angels by their Apostasie and pride fell Lastly to honour the Regenerate yet farther the Angels are charged and commanded to attend and wait upon them He hath given his Angels charge over thee c. Psal 91. 11. They are not onely Fellow-servants with the Angels as Iohn the Divine calls them but they are servants to the children of God for it is said They are ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them that are heires of salvation Heb. 1. last Thus have you seen the dignity of the Regenerate the superlative honour of the children of God in some kind above the Angels For 1. Christ took not the seed or nature of Angels but the sâ—ed of Abraham and David men subject to infirmities 2. He was conceived in the womb of a Virgin and in the fulnesse of time made of a woman and made under the Law c. So that by his blessed Incarnation he is made one with us and we with him he sits at the right hand of his Father glorified and blessed in our nature Vexit in coelum carnâ—m nostram c. He took our flesh into Heaven with him as the pledge and token of his love and favour and hath sent downe his Spirit unto us as the pledge and seale of his love Now Gloria capitis est spâ—â— corporis The glory of the Head is the Members hope and if the Head be crowned the whole Body is honoured 3. The glorious Angels and them blessed Spirits in heaven desire to look into the mysteriâ— of our Redemption and indeed they themselves receive some benefit by it for they are thereby confirmed that they cannot fall 4. The Angels are commanded to be our Guardians and Protectours Never had any King or Prince such Protectours as the sons of God have For the heavenly Angels pitch their tentâ— about them Psal 34 11. and they have charge given them of their Father which is in heaven to bear them up in their hands that they dash not their feet against a stone Oh how fearfull should we be to offend having such eyes over us and such hands under us and such glorious spirits about us Who cannot but admire the great love and mercy of God in the words of Daâ—id
the creature can be without sorrow and pain No death without dolour no incision or cutting of the flesh without sharp bitter or grievous dolours So cannot the heart be circumcised our regeneration or new birth effected without much grief and anguish of spirit You know that the Babe that hath lien but nine moneths in the Mothers womb cannot be born without sharp pain doth any Christian think to be rid of his sin in which he was conceived and born which also hath conceived and bred in him and which he hath nourished and fostered many years in his bowels without great dolor and sorrows No no but as Pharoah then burdened and tâ—xed the Israelites soarest when they were near their deliverance out of his bondage And as the dumb Devil then vexed and tore the young man most when our Saviour was ready to cast him out So Sathan alwaies troubles the Godly most uncessantly and grievously when their deliverance from his bondage is nearest and as St. John saith Hath greatest wrath because he knows his time is but short Which doctrinal Observation hath a threefold Application 1. It may comfort the dear children of God when they feel such inward pains and dolours and assure them they are but the sanctified troubles of conscience and the pangs of their New Birth and therefore not to faint or be discouraged though they feel them in a plentifull manner And if man never feele these sorrows nor are acquainted with this bitterness of spirit with this contrite heart with these wrestlings and fightings If the New man and Old the Flesh and Spirit never make a mutiny nor are together by the ears in the members If they find not the law of the members rebelling against the law of the mind for they be these inward Civil Wars which make the best Reformation surely the Enemy possesses all all being in pâ—ace alwayes and such may fear they are not yet in the state of Regeneration Fortier est qui se c. And though feares and faintings diffidences and doubtings these inward terrours and sorrows be found and felt in a plentifull manner the heart is not to bee cast down nor the spirit to be disquieted although disquieted for as I said these pains and pinchings and contractions of heart are but the pangs and throws of the New Birth these tears and gemitus columbini Dove-like chatterings are sure evidences of a supernaturall conception for Sathans closest and hottest and fiercest siege is ever laid to the Castle of the most rich and precious soules Secondly It is a note of Instruction to such as think the worke of their conversion to bee an easie work or such a work as may be effected with peace and pleasure whereas that sin that was contracted with peace and pleasure must ever be dissolved with pain Conversion is called the difficult work of Faith and the duty of Christianity a working out of our salvation with fear and trembling and fear hath pain a very hard and difficult work it is For there must be a cutting off the right hand and a pulling out the right eye casting away those sins and pleasures which are most dear and near unto us Hâ—re must be leaving and forsaking Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters Lands and Livings renounâ—ing all dearest and nearest relations abandoning all couâ—ses which have been pleasurable and profitable to us and cleaving close to Christ and his Faith and Truth according to St. Hieroms stout and Christian resolution If my Mother that bare mee hung about my neck weeping and wiâ—ling if my Brethren stood about me beseeching me to continue in my wicked course of life I would cast my Mother to the ground I would tread and trample upon my brethren to serve my Lord and Master I would leave and contemn all to enjoy him For he that loveth Father and Mother more than me is not worthy of me Thirdly it is a note of confutation and reproof to them who think they can by their own power and strength induce or incline their hearts to grace and goodness We cannot reform our selves Indeed easily enough God knows we did and do deform our selves but none but God can reform us It is Gods onely proper and peculiar work to regenerate and reform By him we are renewed into our first image Nonâ— can change the heart but he that made the heart none but the hand that made us can mend us It is Gods work and it is marvellous in our â—yes or should be so It is he that brings to the birth and gives strength to bring forth For Shall I cause others to bear saith God and my self remain barren No I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh c. Iâ— is God that worketh in us to will and to doâ— of his good pleasure It is he that doth create in us new hearts and renews right spirits within us Dabo illis cor novum I will give them a new heart and spirit and cause them to walk in my statutes It is not in the power of man to adde one cubit to his spiritual stature to make a hair white which is black Far less can he change his heart to make that clean which is foul holy which is unholy and naturally the sink of sin and all uncleanness It is from God we become his Sonnes He sends his spirit into our hearts his spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. But Adoption is where there is no gâ—niture or begetting that doth filium facerâ— not gignâ—râ— It makes a son it begets none it is not after likeness but liking it is not of nativity but nuncupation Adoption that is Gods acceptation of sons Generation is the impression of the Image God in those sons adopted Now Generation is twofold according to Nature and according to Grace According to Nature and so Christ alone is the natural begotten Son of God According to Grace and so every man is his son Obedience to Gods Commandements conformity to his will be apparent Testimonies of our Sonshâ—p To as many as bâ—leâ—vâ— his word to them he giveth power to be the Sons of God From that that hath been spoken arise two general propositions to be spoken of out of the first cause of Regeneration 1. That the state of a Christian is a new Genâ—niture and Birth 2. That God himself is the author and cause of this Birth 1. That the state of a Christian is a new Geniture and birth Whosoever is in Christ is a new or another creature Poets feign of Baccbus that he was the son of Semele and the son of Jupiter of Semele an earthly Woman and of Jupiter a God And Plautus writes of Hercules that he was the son of Amphitruo and so mortal and the son of Jupiter and so immortal What was but feigned in them is true in us In every Regenerate man there are two men The first is from the earth earthly as St. Paul speaks
and so he may say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my sister and mother The second is from heaven and so he may call God Father and hath full interest and power to call Christ his elder brother Being the first born amongst many brethren 2. In our first birth we are born men by the will of men In our second birth we are begotten Christians by the will of God In our first birth our mortal fathers beget us to succeed them we are born to die In our second our immortal Father begets us to live and abide with him forever In our first birth our Fathers must die before we the sons can inherit In our second the children must die before they can obtain their heavenly Fathers Inheritance 3. In our first birth we are conceived and born in sin and so by nature are children of wrath In our second we are the workmanship of God created in Christ to good works and so consequently the heirs of grace and glory In a word a double Pedigree is in every Saint one of mortality another of eternity Cum peccatorem dico duo dico saith St. Austin when I speak of sinner I mean two men a sinner and a Saint a man and a Christian man One born after the flesh called the old man another after the spirit called the new From which Doctrine arise three considerations or observations 1. The verity and truth of our new birth 2. The similitudes and likenesses between our first and second birth 3. The eminency and dignity of a Christians new birth 1. The verity and truth of our new birth We are as truly said to be renati as nati born again as born at all For if the wicked be damnaâ—i antequam nati damned before they be born is it a harder thing being once born to be born again Surely in sense and reason it is harder farr to make something of nothing then to make that better which was something It is as easie to mend as to make especially when God is the workman else it is a great deal easier to mar then to make or mend Difficilius est struere quam distruere I know as I said before that this unto flesh and bloud seems very strange because the natural mans faith goes not beyond his eye But as a Father well notes If in the second resurrection the raising of the body out of the grave God can restore that which was consumed to nothing and make it a more perfect and sound body then ever it was Surely in the first resurrection from sin to grace he can renew and reform that body and soul which he first made and inspired and he that first created them can renew and amend them Strange it seems to the eye of reason but consider the agent and the wonder will cease Ille suscitabit te qui creavit te saith the Father Ille reformabit qui formavit te say I ille reficiet te qui fecit te he that formed thee will reform thee he that made thee will mend thee Reason sees not this But ubi ratio desinit fides incipit where reason ends faith begins and therefore crede quod non vides videbis quod non credes Believe what you see not and you shall one day see what you would not believe But is there no Sun because he that wants his sight sees it not so is there no regeneration or new birth because the carnal man wants faith which is the souls eye by which it is discerned Stephen when he was going to be stoned he saw Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father which none of his persecutors could do In like manner the regenerate man even in his most heavy afflictions and at the point of death he sees how God is his Father which the natural man cannot see because it is spiritually discerned But since the knowledg of regeneration is so needfull and the work so secret and mystical how may any Christian know that he is regenerate and what are the truest signes and evidences thereof For the first who require and request to be instructed and taught in this saving doctrine and which the Disciples demand what is the meaning of this Parable I answer First by defining secondly by shewing the evidences and infallible signes and tokens of it Regeneration then is this It is the change of the whole man from one thing to another the change of the body and soul from sin to sanctification from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. It is a Sanctifying throughout as St. Paul speaks Now the very God of peace c. But not any waies to confound Regeneration with Sanctification for that may be a mistake Regeneration is defined by the Learned to be this It is an act or work of Gods wonderfull power begetting the elect by the Ministry of the word through the operation of the spirit of God that of children of wrath by the desert of sin we are by grace made the sons and daughters of God or more briefly It is a grace of God whereby the corruption of nature in believers is daily renewed to the image of Gâ—d it is I say again a grace of God 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who according to his abundant grace hath begotten us to a lively hope by which corruption of nature for that is the proper object of it called in Scripture the old man or flesh is renewed which is a word of religion opposed to the old corruption drawn from the old Adam for so is the new birth by the spirit opposed to the old birth by the flesh John 3. to the image of God see Phil 3. 10. Again the word renewed importeth a compleat work upon the whole subject for as in the birth of a child not one part or more parts and members but the whole child is born so is this new birth the whole man is born again as we are sanctified and as David praies to be purged and washed so we are regenerate throughout the whole man must be a new creature for whosoever is in Christ is so which is not the framing of something out of something but of something out of nothing And I pray you consider that as in every mutation and change one thing removes and another succeeds So in this generation or new birth one thing comes in the room of another and in this birth from above one thing dies which is corrupt nanture which must die or we must die if we kill not the sin in us the sin in us will kill us This is called the old man that which is changed renewed and quickened is the new man and therefore whosoever is in Christ will put off the old man which is corrupt through deceiveable lusts and will put on the new which after Christ is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse True holinesse note the word for there is great emphasis in
the world but presentâ—y it cries after the breast for the mothers milk that which doth not is still born or a dead child So a man is no sooner born of God but he will desire the sincere milk of the word that he may grow thereby It is the note of a wicked man of one dead in sins and trespasses that he cals not upon God that is casts off the fear and worship of God If some were tryed by this rule it would appear of what breed and birth they are they are of Babels breed and therefore the Church of Rome above all withhold their milk this word from the people which withdraw these two Paps of the two Testaments which are as the dugs to nourish Gods children or gives them this milk mingled with their own traditions pretend and boast as she will is but a strumpet and step-mother and not the true spouse of Christ So much of the verity and truth of our new birth and of the evidences and signes thereof Come we now to similitudes and likenesses between our first and second birth which are many but I will reduce them to seven 1. In our first birth there is mutatio à non ente ad ens a change from a no being into a being Thus it is in our second birth there is a change from a no being in grace to a being in grace new seeds of grace are sown in the heart where before they were not and the man which was dead in sins and trespasses is now quickned mutat quod erat incipit esse quod non erat It changes what it was and begins to be what before it was not I know the Papists alleadg this saying of the Father to prove and uphold their Iâ—ol of Tran substantiation but the Father useth it to prove the manner and truth of our regeneration 2. In our first birth there is many times the similitude and likeness the form and favour of the parents of them that do beget this alwaies holds true in our second birth in our birth from above God begets no son or daughter but he begets them after his own Image and likeness as we read Gen. 5. 3. That Adam begat Seth after his own image and likeness that is sinfull and corrupt and mortal as he was and needs must be for that which is born of the flesh is flesh So whosoever are begotten of God whosoever are his off-spring and image his sons and daughters are as Peter saith made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. or as Paul We are the offspring of God Acts 17. 28 29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God That which is â—orn of the spirit is spirit but herein stands the difference between heavenly and earthly generation between the natural and spiritual birth between the adoption of God and man man in adopting man to be his son may bestow upon him his lands and goods but he cannot communicate to him his graces or goodness but Gods adoption hath not only in it an approbation and acceptation for â—ons but he instamps upon them his own nature and image he makes them as I said partakers of the divine nature They are mercifull as their heavenly Father is mercifull holy as he is holy holy so not so holy mercifull and holy according to the manner not the measure of Gods holiness or mercy according to the quality not the equality perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect in aim intent purpose indeavours and desires they pray and petition with David O that my waies were made so direct that I might keep thy statutes They press hard towards the mark of their high calling they serve God truely and sincerely though weakly and infirmly and what is wanting in the perfection of their obedience is made up in the truth and sincerity of it Neither will God see weakness where he sees truth in the inward affections where the heart is right and good the obedience thereof is graciously and mercifully accepted for God looks at and cals for the heart My son give me thy heart Give it me who first gave it thee give me thine who gave thee mine nay the blood of my heart Non minus tuum quia meum It is nevertheless thine if it be mine nay it cannot be thine comfortably except it be mine perfectly for as Samuel saith this is all that God requires of his people only to fear the Lord and to serve him with all their heart 1 Jam. 12. 24. Again they that are Gods sons are loving as God is loving God is love and the more loving any man is the liker God the liker their Father which is in heaven they are loving and peaceable that are born of God peace-makers and peacetakers and S. John gives it as granted that whosoever loves not his brother is not born of God for God is the God of love and peace Note the multitude and number of believers are of one heart and of one mind They question their saintship and sonship who are enemies to love and peace Let us therefore for application of this point for it needs close application in these divided times take St. Pauls councel Be followers of God as dear children and walk in love Eph. 5. 1 2. Love is the Christians walk not his talk Gods children as John saith love not so much in word and in tongue which is most of the love in these daies a little warm breath as indeed and in truth Let us follow him in these pathes of love and mercy and truth and holiness and though we cannot go his path let us go as fast as we can Let us run the race that is set before us and if we cannot run goe if not goe creep follow God though it be but slowly and easily though it be with limping and halting as Peter followed Christ along afarr off and as Ascanius his father Aeneas Non passibus aequis with no equal paces If we cannot write after our copy yet let us look to it and upon it endeavour our best and God will accept the will for the deed Applic. A Note of Doctrine to be taken of in this hatefull and hating age wherein iniquity abounds and the love of many as Christ the truth prophesied is grown cold so cold that it cannot be felt Brothers at dissention as if they were no brethren Christians without love and charity as if they were no Christians It would make the heart of a righteous Lot to lament and bleed when there wants no more instance than what Philip said to Nathanael veni vide come and see Love is the badge and cognizance of Gods children By this ye are known to be my Disciples if c. It is the Christians Cloak and Livery therefore the Apostle bids us put on love This Cloak will cover many sins it is both indumentum and ornamentum not only a cloak to cover and hide but an ornament to adorn it was