of hearing and hearkning all blessings are promised If thou wilt hearken unto my Commandments all these benefits or blessings shall overtake thee And when God had sent his Son whom he promised long before to send the great Doctor and Preacher of his Church All the entertainment and receit of him all the reverence and respect called for is but audience ipsum audite Hear him Hear my beloved sons and it will make you sons dearly beloved Mat. 17. Hear then and your souls shall live If the Prophet should bid thee do some great matter saies Naamans servant to his Master wouldest thou not do it to be cleansed of thy Leprosie muchless when he bids thee but wash and be clean when he went away in a puff and snuf as too many do from the saving word So if God should command us and we his poor Ministers beseech you in his name to do some greater matters then wee do would you not do them to save your precious souls muchlesse would we hear and be happy Hear and our souls shall live hear him here whom we desire to see hereafter Beloved auditus est gradus ad visum Hearing is a degree to seeing if we will not hear God we shall never see him and therefore as John the Divine exhorts like a Divine so do I but in his words He that hath an ear let him hear and he that will not hear what the Church saith let him be anathema accursed Indeed omnis habent aures audiendi pauci obediendi All have ears to hear with but few to obey with ears of attention with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth or like David I will hear what the Lord will say unto me or with Mary who sate at Christ's feet to hear his Preaching or like the Spouse in the Canticles Hark it is the voice of well-beloved We see in my Text what an honour and dignity God hath put upon his word to beget us to himself of his own will he begets us with the word of truth and shall not we willingly give it the hearing The Apostle in the next verse makes the only use and application of the Doctrin and lesson here taught Since the word of truth is the seed of our new birth therefore let every man be swift to hear of a tractable docible and meek spirit ready to wait upon God in his Ordinances and to receive with meeknesse the ingraâ—fed word which being so received is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. Again God takes not the tongue out of our heads but he takes away the sin and iniquity of the tongue within a man unregenerate is a world of wickednesse as St. James saith The world is not fuller of wickednesse than the tongue of sin if unreformed he takes away therefore in our regeneration and puls out the venom and sting and violence of the tongue which is indeed a small member but doth great mischief blasphemies oaths railings revilings curses imprecations lies perjuries dissimulation all corrupt communication filthy and froathy speeches which are not once to be named amongst Saints And as the holy Ghost when he came down upon the Apostles they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance So whom the holy spirit sanctifies and regenerates it gives a new and another language and though it gives them no new tongues yet it gives the tongues they have a new dialect their tongues are touched with a coal from Gods Altar neither have the gift given them of praising God and speaking well of their neighbour As the regenerate person will not listen to false tales or tale-bearers which are flabellum Diaboli flagellum justi the Devils Bellows and the Saints scourges for the tongue kils more then the sword the sword of the mouth more then the mouth of the sword as he will not receive a false report against his neighbour as David speaks and makes one of the ten notes of a righteous man of a Citizen of heaven So he will not rashly nor hastily judge him before he know him or hear him speak knowing that he that carries a false report and he that receives and believes it the one carries the Devil in his tongue the other in his ears And therefore they which are born from above will set a watch before their mouthes and guide the dore of their lips as the Kingly Prophet saith They will take heed to their waies that they offend not in their tongue and they will utterly purpose that their mouth shall not offend They will therefore open their mouthes with wisdom and guide their words with discretion as Solomon speaks of the good house-wife as she will keep her self so she will keep her words at home within her own dores The tongue indeed hath a double hedge teeth and lips to shew it should not easily or commonly straggle or wander or run over The law of grace as Paul saith will be in the lips of the righteous his mouth will shew forth Gods praise 'T is worth noting that David will take heed to his waies that he offend not in his tongue intimating that the safety and security of a mans waies of his whole life and conversation consists much in the government of his tongue Quâ— facile violat quae facile volat as easily sins as moves and it moves often too easily no arrow or bullet out of a gun or bow wounds more speedily or quickly or pierceth more deeply or deadly then a tongue primed with the powder and set on fire with the fire of hell And therefore James tels us that he is a perfect man that is in a great part regenerate that can rule it for it is the opinion of a Father That half the sins committed in the world are committed through the licentiousnesse and unrulines of the tongue Quâ—tidiana fornax is humana lingua The tongue of evil men is a continual Fornace wherein the names of righteous men are tryed And therefore to end this point The government of the tongue is an infallible note and evidence of some progresse and perfection in grace But a regenerate heart and a wicked tongue a sanctified heart and a virulent venomous blasphemous tongue never go together For if the spring or fountain the heart be clear and pure needs must the streams be so for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks When Socrates would know the disposition and condition of one that came to be his Schollar he bid him speak that all might know him Sermo virum indicat the speech shews the man it is animi index the interpreter of the mind We may easily know what is in the heart by that which comes out of the mouth He is of Galilee saith the girl of Peter for his speech bewrayeth him A man is easily discerned by his language what Countreyman he is of Canaan or Ashdod Certainly beloved a stinking and strong breath doth not more evidently declare ill lungs and corrupt inwards
a holy Womb too the Womb of the Morne as David calls it the dew of thy Birth is c. or Psal 110 3. thy Birth from the Womb is as the morning dew a holy transposition of the words which enlivens and exhilerates all things Dr. Andr. refreshes and renews them 3. Semen Here is Semen the Sâ—ed and that is a holy seed too We are borne saith the Apostle not of mortall but immortall not of corruptible but incorruptible seed even of the word c. 1 Pet. 1. 23. A seed which Saint Paul calls living both because it quickâ—ns them that are dead in sinnes and trespasses and because it makes us heires of eternall life Note A seed cleane contrary to humane seed for as that begets sinfull man this kills him 4. Fructus Lastly here is Fructus the fruit and that is a holy and heavenly fruit too for being regenerate and borne againe unto God We have as the Apostle saith our fruit unto holinesse and the end is everlasting life Rom. 6. 21. Thus we see in part the nature manner causes â—ffâ—ct and end of our New Birth or Birth from above This unto flesh and blood seems very strange tell the natuâ—al man of his regeneration and new Birth that he must of necessity be borne againe and you speake to him a parable and mistery You can never fasten any thing upon him but what is made evident by demonstration He will not believe that he sees not and therefore certainly he shall never see that which he cannot or will not believe As Nicâ—dâ—â—us before his conveâ—sion hearing Christ speak of the necessity of Regeneration he makes it a matter of impossibility How can a man be borne when he is old can he enter into his Mothers wombe and be borne againâ— A strange nay an impossible thing he thinks it is to be borne againe by the word or spirit of God Words thinks he may beget words as they doe too often but not creatures And that Posthumus should be Primitiae the last creature made the first fruits this seems altogether impossible But Faith is not captivated to sence it exceeds reasons limits it is not the Naturall but the Spirituall man Nor the Naturall but Spirituall eye which discernes how God is our Father Indeed many wayes doth the Lord challenge unto himselfe this loving attribute of Paternity and Fatherhood but principally three 1. By Creation 2. By Regeneration and 3. Adoption Between which there are these differences in our Creation 1. We were filii facti made Sons In our regeneration we are filii geniti begotten Sonnes 2. Our Creation that was out of Gods councell Faciamus hominem let us make man after our Image Our regeneration that is out of his will voluntariè nos genuit 3. In our Creation Dixit Dens formati sumus God spake the word and we were formed and made in our Regeneration Operatur Spiritus Sanctus reformati sumus Gods spirit works and we are reformed re-made 4. In our Creation he gave us our selves in our regeneration he gave himselfe for us his life for us He gave his soule a sacrifice for sinne that he might see his seed Esay 53. 10. Our Creation as I hinted cost him but a few words he spake and we were made he commanded and it was effected But our Redemption through his blood cost him many words and blows many wounds and sufferings that he might see his seed he made his soule an offernig for sinne He took upon him our sinnes that we might be taken for Sonnes We were lost in Adam by our generation in Adam we all dye but in Christ we are all made alive We fell in Adam and his fall hath wounded and bruised us but Christi livâ—râ— sanati sumus by Christs stripes we are healed A strange way to be healed by wounding To kill the Physitian to recover the Patient That God should dye to preserve man from death To tame a Lyon they say they beate a Dogge but here the Lyon is beaten for the Dog the Lord for the Servant he humbled himself and took our nature upon him to sanctifie nay to glorifie our Nature in which nature he suffered for this onely end to make us accepted Ideo filius Dei factus est homo ut homines faceret filios Dei Therefore was the Son of God made the son of Man that the Sons of Men might be made the sons of God Behold then and admire what love the Father hath shewed unto us that we should be thus made and called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3. 1. 1. Cause the Formal cause But to proceed in order I will begin with the first cause of our Regeneration The formal cause God Progenuit Deus God begets us And the word the Apostle useth here to beget is worth your serious observation it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peperit a word which the Learned give to the soul as well as unto the body to the spirit as well as to the flesh of man For we must understand that the soul and spirit of man hath its birth and children as well as the flesh and body As for example Memory that is the birth of the Braine thoughts they are the birth of the Heart and Grace that is the child of the Spirit I and there are dolours and pangs tribulations and sorrows throbs and throws gripes and convulsions in this our second Birth as many if not more and as great nay greater than in our first Note The mourning weed the melting eye the pale countenance the voice of lamentation the broken heart the contrite spirit Mary Magdalen's tears Jerusalem's sighs and groans who wept continually in the night with David who washed his bed and watered his couch with his tears Jacob's wrestling Paul's combat and complaint Miserable man that I am who c. It being as painfull for a man to be delivered of his sinne as ever it was for a poor wracked mother to bee delivered of her burden that judgement being laid upon our Spiritual conception which was upon our Natural I will greatly multiply the sorrows of thy conception in labour and sorrow c. All these doth the Lord cause and raise in a man before this new man can be conceived in him or born of him When the eyes are red with tears and the heart doth ake with groans when the soul and body like the Virgin Marie's is ready to be divided as with a sword when with David we roar and cry for the very disquietness of our hearts with Rebecca feeling the old man and the new â—s she did Jacob and Esau strugling in her womb we cry out Why am I thus when with the woman in the Rev. 12. we cry out and are pained ready to be delivered the great red Dragon striving to hinder our conversion as he did her conception Then then doth this New man begin to conceive and quickend For as no birth of
feelingly confess it that I have been over-spread with corruption ever siâ—ce I saw the light Nay which is more no sooner was the substances whereof I was framed and made warm in my Mothers womb but I was stained and tainted with originall corruption Therefore vâ—ry necessary and needfull is a new and another Birth to cover the stains and pollutions of the first of the old A second birth to sanctâ—fie our first a birth from above to make holy our naturall birth Regeneration to bless our Generation as necessary and needfull as light is unto darkness as heaven to the immunity and freedom from hell as reparation to a ruinous and rotten building as the soul to give life unto the body Nay so necessary and needfull that without it we cannot see the Kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto you that I had two births my self one by an eternall Joh. 3. 3. generation which no man can declare Another in the fulness of time being made of a woman c. You must have two births too Gal. 4. 4. one from Heaven or your earthly and carnall birth can doe you no good The Italians have a prudent proverb it is good to be bornâ— wise or twice wise no man can be borne Neâ—â— nascitur summus or sanctus No man is borne a Saint but made so virtus non est ex traduce goodnesse is not by generation it must be therefore by regeneration Better a thousand times not be borne at all than not borne againe we shall very bitterly curse the day of our first Birth if we have not a second Many solemnize keep festival their Birth-day which they have little reason to doe if they looke upon their Birth-sinne If their naturall condition be considered they have little cause to rejoyce or be merry upon their Birth-day it calls rather to Lamentation or Teares The new borne Babe seems to cry down that joy and exaltation who comes crying into a troublâ—somâ— Aust world Nâ—ndum nascitur sed prophâ—tat It is the day and blessed time of our New Birth wherein we should rejoyce and be glad which we should keep holy to the Lord wherein as in our Baptisme the Laver and Seale and Signe of regeneration as in our earthly Registers our names are written in the book of life wherein we are borne to live for ever whereas in our Birth we are damnati antequam nati damned before we be borne being filii terrae we are filii irae we must therefore be renati if we would not be damnati renewed and converted if we will not be condemned Doct. From which consideration take this observation and comfortable Doctrine He that is borne twice shall dye but once but he that is but once borne shall dye twice The second Birth shall free us from the second Death the first and none but that shall make us liable both to the first and to the second death But what doe I say that the regenerate person the Beleever shall dye no he shall not dye at all Quicunque sermones mâ—â—s custodiverint c. Whosoever keeps my sayings he shall not taste he shall not see death Death may buz and keepe a noise about his eares like an angry Wasp but he hath lost his sting the sting was left in Christ Jesus body he doth victoriously triumph over it O Death where is thy sting O Grave c. He may exult and rejoyce over Death O Death my Saviour hath been thy death and thâ—u canst not be mine My Saviour dyed for me I cannot dye by thee Christ hath killed thee and thou canst not kill me if kill me not hurt me I have made my peace with my Judge and I feare not the Baily my Redeemer hath made my peace with my God and being justified by Faith I have my Quiâ—tus est I have peace with God and therefore neither Death nor Hell nor he that hath the power of both can hurt me and therefore to every regenerate person I may pronounce that blessing which Saint John doth to them that have part in the first resurrection which is nothing else but regeneration Blessed and Rev. 20 6. holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power but they shall be as Kings and Priests unto God Of this supernaturall and Heavenly Bâ—rth doth this birth treat and of all the 4. causes thereof 1. The Formall 2. The Efficient 3. The Instrumentall and 4. the Final cause 1. The formal cause that is God progenuit Dâ—â—â— God begets us 2. The Efficient that is his will he begets us of his will for why he saves one and not another why he softens this wax upon which he will instampâ— his Image and why he hardens that clay which he will cast away there is no reason can be given hereof but the good pleasure of his will Rom. 9. 18. He will have mercy c. 3. The Instrumentall cause is verbum veritatis the word of truth called so for 4. Reasons 1. Because it hath God the God of Truth for its Author 2. Because it hath Christ the Truth it selfe for its Witnesse 3. Because it hath the Spirit of Truth for its composer and 4. Because it teacheth all truth and leads into all truth I will pray to the Father and he shall send the spirit of truth which shall lead or guide you into all truth This word of Truth is the seed of our New Birth By the grace of God saith Paul I have begotten you by the Gospell where you have againe the instrument the meanes and the Author the Instrument I Paul for though you have ten thousand instructors I am your Father in Christ â— The meanes the Gospel or Word the Author Christ Jesus whose word it is and who himselfe is the supreame worke in our regeneration Then fourthly here is the finall cause why we are regenerate and borne againe to bâ— holy and sanctified to be as the first fruits of his Creatures i. e. that as amongst the Jews in the Law the first fruits were consecrate and set apart for God so regenerate persons and believers amongst and above all others are sequestred and set apart for the services and purposes of God and this end and effect of Regeneration shews the Honour and Dignity the priviledge and prerogatives of the sonnes of God as you shall here anon otherwise as in other Births so in this you may please to observe 4. things more 1. Partus 2. Vterus 3. Semen And 4. Fructus The Birth the Womb the Seed and the Fruit. 1. Partus The Birth and that is a holy Birth progâ—nuit Deus God begets us The Spirit of the Almighty over-shadowing the Soul as it did the Body of the Virgin Mary sanctifies it and begets a new Creature for as Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost so must every Christian be 2. Vterus The Womb and that is
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
then evil language an evil liver Mettals are known by their tinkling and sound and men by their tunes and tongues by their languages This is very certain Gods children have alwaies Godly language and their speeches and words are seasoned with wisdom as with salt as St Paul saith For wisdome seasons our actions as salt doth our meat their words ever tend to edification to the building up their brethren in the faith of Christ In a word in the work of regeneration God takes not the heart out of our bodies but he takes corruption out of our hearts He heals by his spirit and grace that deadly and poysoned fountain as Elisha by his handfull of salt cured the unwholsome waters of Jericho And indeed their sanctification and regeneration begin ever As Nature in forming so grace in reforming begins at the heart and makes a through change there as when the Adulterer and Fornicator becomes chaste and considers that his body is or ought to be the Temple of the holy Ghost and therefore not be made a stable for Bacchus or a sâ—ew for Venus but to be preserved in purity in holiness and honour and not in the lust of concupisence as the heathen which knew not God abstaining from all appearance of evil not entertaining lust into his heart by any inordinate desires Mat. 5. 26. Nor into his eye by wanton and lascivious looks for you shall read in 2 Pet. 1. 14. of eyes full of Adultery or the Adulterers nor into the tongue by filthy and rotten speech nor by any means into the act by committing that great wickedness as Joseph cals it Gen. 39. and therefore will daily sweeten and perfume this Temple of God with the incense of prayer and supplication watering it often with the unfeigned tears of contrition and sorrow with David that devout penetent who made his bed to swim and watered his couch with his tears and sweeping it with the besome of repentance leaving no foule corner or spiders web within the heart or house 2. When he considers that in other sins a man may peccare and perire solus sin and perish alone but in this sin of uncleanness he carries company to hell with him 3. That the arms and lips of a harlot are like the Iron Idol which crushed the curst sacrifice to pieces or like the Ivy which embracing the Tree kilâ— it 4. That in these sins he sins first against God the Father who created him in holiness and righteousness and in that manner to serve him Secondly against Christ the sonne which redeemed him by the inestimable price of his most precious bloud and to this end he redeemed him that he might glorifie him in his soul and body who had redeemed both 3. That it is against the spirit of Christ which is a pure and clean spirit and none but the pure in heart shall see God 5. That it is against our reasonable service of God for in all reason we should make them the members of righteousness which are thus redeemed and give up our selves souls and bodies a living sacrifice unto God which is our reasonable service of him glorifie him both in our souls and bodies which hath redeemed both 6. That it is against our Covenant in our baptism and against our calling for having as the Apostle saith such precious promises as to be called the sons and daughters of God we should cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 6. last c. 1. and perfect holiness in the fear of God 7. Lastly that it is against a mans own body which no other sins are and gives a deep stain and blemish not only to his own name but to the name of his seed and that they that do such things shall not enter into the Kingdom of God But the fire of lust shall have the fire of hell and the sins of uncleanness shall be punished in Gehinom a place of unbelievers Secondly when the glutton and intemperate person puts a knife to his throat as Solomon adviseth moderatenesse and restraining his appetite in full provocations remembring even that moderate precept of St. Paul Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever else ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. 3. When the drunkard becoms civil and sober walking honestly as in the day not in surfetting or drunkennesse accounting them dear pleasures which we repent on the morrow and remembring that saying of the Poet If the pains and aking and grief of the head came before drinking as they come after no man would be drunk If the Rhumes Catarhs Apoplexes Dropsies and infinite other Diseases the natural offspring of that unnatural sin were considered no man would exceed Fourthly When the covetous and worldly man who made his money his God and gain his godliness the tenacious and griping miser is become mercifull and liberal and of a lover of the world a lover of God and his word and concludes that godlinesse is the best gain having the promises of this life and of that which is to come and trusts to that word of truth primum quaerite regnum coeli c. First seek the Kingdom of God c. Caetera aut aderunt aut non oberunt other things shall not be wanting or if they be the want of them shall not hurt us For if we have not wealth the riches of the world we shall have contentation and patience the riches of the mind For he is not rich that hath much but he that is contented with that he hath 5. When the envious and malicious man is become loving and charitable considering that God is love and the more loving any man is the liker God that envy and malice are the very characters of the Devil you are of your Father the Devil saith Christs to the envious Jews for his works ye do 6. When the angry froward and wrathfull man is become meek and patient possessing his soul in patience in the midst of the greatest troubles knowing that by faith we possess Christ by love our brethren but by patience our selves that anger resteth and abideth in the bosome of fools and suffers not therefore the sun to go down in his wrath remembering that he which sleepeth in anger or malice hath the devil for his bedfellow is therefore slow to anger and wrath considering well that the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousness of God v. 20. 7. When the proud man is become lowly and humble knowing that God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble that the meek shall possess the earth and the humble God will teach his waies that they are they shall find rest to their souls That pride cast the Angels out of heaven Adam and Eve out of Paradice the King of Babel out of his name and nature and therefore cannot bring any man to heaven for humility goes before honour but pride goes before a fall Humilitas claritatis meritum claritas humilitatis
praemium Humility is the desert of glory glory the reward of humility si vis capere celsitudinem Dei prius cape humilitatem Dei In a word when every sin doth return as he is commanded from his evil way doth cease to do evil and learn to do good when in a holy anger and indignation that they have been the servants of sinn so long they cast off their old Livery of sin as blind Bartemeus cast off his old Cloak and with Ephraim smite upon their thigh asking and enquiring what have we done wretch as I am I am in way to be undone when he smites upon his breast with the Publican his breast the ark and chest of all iniquity and in faith and feeling cries out Lord be mercifull to me a sinner when weary of his sinfull course he doth resolve with the prodigal to leave it and return home to his Fathers with words of unfeigned sorrow and contrition I will go to my Father a happy thing we have a Father to go to and such a father tampater nemo When with Eliphas in Job a man seriously resolves and resolvedly purposes If I have done wickedly I will do no more which was the caveat Christ gave to them he healed considering that Inanis est paenitentia quam sequens culpa coinquinat That true repentance is not only a repentance for sin but a repentance from sin as the Apostle cals it Repentance from dead works then is this great work wrought this man is a new creature 2. To assure our selves that we are regenerate and born of God observe farther that as Elizabeth John the Baptists mother did assure herself that she was with childe when she felt the babe to leap and spring in her womb So when we find our wils conformable to Gods will when it is our meat and drink to do our heavenly Fathers will when we are ready to answer to the call of every heavenly motion as the eccho to the voice of man and answer with Samuel Speak Lord thy servant heareth With David It is written I should do thy will I am content to do it O my God thy Law is in my heart When the word of God is to us as it was to him our longing and our love this is a sure evidence of our new birth for where there is a new birth there will be a new life where there is a spiritual and heavenly birth there will be a spiritual and heavenly life if we be born of God we will with Enoch walk with God and will be followers of God as dear children The natural child they say lives not untill forty five daies after the conception be expired but the regenerate and new-born Christian begins to live assoon as he is conceived there will no longer be a life led after the will of the flesh or of our own lusts but after the will of God and the will of God is our holiness He that is born from above will resolve to spend the remainder of his short time to the honour of him that died for him and it will appear whose heeis by a life led in holiness and righteousness in faith and a good conscience he will walk worthy of the calling whereunto he is called and will say with David when he was moved to some undecent and uncivil action Is it nothing to be son in Law to a King If we be the sons of God our carriage and conversation will be according Our light will so shine before men c. Mat. 5. 14 God begets to holiness and righteousness and by this heavenly generation we are made partakers of the Divine nature having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are the offspring of God and therefore the life led after our conversion is called the life of God to which the unregenerate are strangers And it is called the life of Christ too now that is after my conversion I live no longer but Christ liveth in me 1 Cor. 4. He that is Gods son will do Gods work and the work of God is constant and universal obedience A second note and evidence of our regeneration is a through change and reformation of heart and life The new man is of a renew'd mind old things will be cast away and all things will become new he will cleanse himself from all wickedness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 1. As first there will be a new light struck up into the mind and understanding they will be illuminated to conceive the things which be of God which the natural man cannot do as the further obduration or occecation and banding of a man is the note and signe of a reprobate when the God of the world blinds the eyes as St. Paul speaks So it is an evident note of one begotten of God of one born from above when he is renewed in knowledg and understanding and knows the mind of Christ Col. 3. 9. 2. Secondly there will be a new quality in the will ready to hearken to the voice of Christ in all things and to obey it He that is born of God heareth Gods word saith the Apostle 3. Thirdly there will be a new conversation in the life and this holy conversation will be manifested by the fruits and effects of the spirit love joy peace long-suffering patience meekness c. characters and stamps of holiness still led in the practice of any reigning sin after the lusts of the flesh is a manifest note of a carnal man but he that is born of God sins not as you shall hear anon sin is in him but it reignes not in him Inest but non praeest or obest it is in him but not over him nor doth he obey it in the lust and power thereof he sins indeed but yet not he but the sin that is in him In his mind he serves the law of God though in his flesh the law of sin it is against his heart and intention his will and purpose Again he liveth not nor lieth in any known sin but his course and indeavour is after the Commandment 4. There will be new affections as the love of God hatred of all sin for it is not enough to leave sin but to loath it and hate it as Ammon when he had satisfied his lust upon his sister Thamar it is said He hated her afterward more then ever he loved her Thus will Gods child deal with sin and desire to purifie himself as God is pure cast off his sin as a menstruous cloth and say Get thee hence 5. There will be constant and holy means used to preserve and improve all these graces to keep alive this heavenly fire is the spirit of prayer and supplication the bellows of the Sanctuary The child of God will speak the language of God Prayer is the Saints language on earth as praise is in heaven An infant is no sooner born into
and needless division of Christian Princes amongst themselves have added more Lands and Territories more Dominions and Principalities unto the Turks Empire then their own Sword and Bow As Phrahartes one of Pompey's chief Captains said of Julius Cesar's Conquests Nostra ruina factus est magnus By our ruine he is raised and made great his gain hath been our loss his rise our downfall our breaches and divisions which like Reubens have caused great grief of heart have been his utmost advantage Whilst we wory and fight and sheath our swords in one anothers bowels they say with the Edomites There there so would we have it they sing and laugh with Nero having set Rome on fire When I am dead let all the earth burn And therefore for conclusion of this point in which I have been something earnest and long being very seasonable and needfull to press in the condition we are in let us but advisedly and soberly consider the many mischiefs which factions and divisions have brought into the world and closely lay them to heart and it cannot but warm us with that heavenly fire of love the image of our Father and account it with David who though a fortunate and valiant Warrier yet a man of peace nay altogether for peace a man much vers'd in battel and sing it with him It is a good and joyfull or a pleasant and joyfull thing for brethren to dwell together in unity For our own particular let the men of our famous Nation give me leave to speak to them and put them in mind of their own strength and honour in intimating unto them the memorable words and observations of Henry the fourth the Champion of Christendom Monsieur Roan the Champion and Marshal of France in the beginning of the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory walking in his Gallery with Roan and being in serious discourse of the unity of the Queen with her Subjects of their unanimity and strength of the wealth and strong scituation of the Island which he said was impregnable and unaccessible being walled with a Wall of Brasse he meant invironed and compassed with Seas Roan answered like a prudent observer Angle le terra grand animal The Land of England is a strong and mighty body which can never die except it kill it self And surely they deserve more then one death who willingly and desperately goe about to be their own murthers with Nero to kill and rip up the bowels of their own Mother And to me it seems a mystery indeed the mystery of iniquity is in it that many have and will have order in their own houses and it is the Item and injunction they give to their servants when they hire them this is the order of my house and thus and thus you must doe and obey and yet would have none in the great House the Church and Commonwealth neither Magistrate nor Minister I will say no more to such than the great Apostle hath spoke before me If any man be contentious we have no such custome nor the Church of Christ and that God is the God of order not of confusion And how can he serve God that is the God of love and peace without peace and love His Name is love and his Law is love And therefore to conclude this Character of a Christian and strongly once more to move to unity and peace Take three pathetical and emphatical motives and perswasions from the Doctor of the Gentiles The first is 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech yor brethren by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by which you are named or called that you all speak the same things and that there be no divisions amongst you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and the same judgement Love and unity are the Cement and Glew of Christianity and Religion the unity of the spirit is best kept in the bond of peace The second is Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the spirit any bowels of mercy fulfill my joy and be ye like minded hrving the same love being of one mind and of one accord and let nothing be done in strife or contention for that undoes all God came to Adam in the cool of the day and to Elias not in the thunder or fire or storm or tempest but in the quiet sound 1 Kings 19. 11. And it is worth your noting upon what persons and at what time the holy Ghost came down Acts 2. 1 2. He came down upon the Apostles whilst they were all in supplication and prayer and of one mind in an upper Chamber in Jerusalem The spirit of unity descends upon none but upon such as have unity of spirit Beloved if ever we find an enlargement of spirit or feel the descent of spiritual blessings in an ample and plentifull manner we shall find it to be when we are in unity and unanimity And therefore if we will have a sensible apprehension of the spirits communion and benediction let us in the name of God meet in one Assembly in the same mind of those primitive Christians â—to which we pretend did and be in the same posture and devotion they were Acts 4. 31. Who being of one heart and of one mind the place moved where they met When we hold one of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephas are we not divided and divided prayers are fruitlesse when the River is divided into many streams and currents it cannot carry our Vessels our hearts wanting love and unity and our Altar fire the incense of our prayers cannot ascend 3. Note that place well 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally my brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you and if God be with us and for us we need not care who can be against us God is the God of love and peace and the Godly are peaceable and loving By those characters men shew their heavenly birth their birth from God whose name is Love and whose Law is Love 3. In our first birth Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the generation and begetting of one is the death and corruption of another untill the old man be dead the new man cannot quicken As it was prophesied of Jacob and Esau when they were in their mothers womb that the elder should serve the younger So untill the elder man be brought into subjection to the younger there can be no peace in the members neither is this work wrought 4. In our first some are more easily conceived and brought forth into the world some with much more difficulty and pain with greater sorrows and anguish with many throbs and throws crying and roaring and being pained with the woman in the twelth of the Revelations ready to be delivered Thus it is in our second birth some are more easily converted and turned to God as
8. by pointing to his Disciples Mat. 12. 49 50. He stretched forth his hands towards his Disciples and said Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoever doth c. The same Luke 8. My mother and my brethren are they that hear the word and do it verses 21. By which places of Scripture we see plainly and evidently that Christs respects are greater and he is dearer and nearer to them that are united to him by faith than by bloud by spiritual regeneration than by natural generation And St. Austin from hence is bold to affirm Felicior Maria credendo in Christum quam concipiâ—ndo carnem Christi Mary was more happy in believing in her Son than in bearing him in believing in him in her mind than in bearing him in her womb They are dearer and nearer to Christ that are allied to him by faith than by the flesh and this our Saviour mildly intimated to the woman who looking too carnally and sensually upon his outward and natural generation and crying out blessed the womb and he corrects her in these words Nay more blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it It is not the conception of the body but the conception of the mind which unites us to Christ for howsoever by the body we are born at first by the mind we are born again The womb of which conception lies higher namely in the heart where the seed of the word is sown to receiv the ingraffed word and to conceive the new man and by faith to impregnate and bring him forth This is the work of regeneration and this unites us to Christ makes us bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The word of God which is called the seed of our new birth goes in at our ears from thence down to our hearts and there as I said it doth iâ—pregnate and fructifie and bring forth the new Men. God begets us of his will by the word of truth I will conclude this Point with the Prayer of St. Augustine before one of his Sermons beseeching God that Quicquid meditatum est cor meum whatsoever my heart hath profitably meditated upon this divine Subject may enter from my mouth into your ears from your ears into your hearts from your hearts spring forth in your lives and be fruitfull so that receiving the ingrafted word with meekness it may be able to save your souls As you have in part seen the eminency and dignity of a Christian of which you shall hear more anon so I pray you note three great and singular priviledges and prorogatives of one born of God they are worth your noting and observation I. First They that are born of God sin not 1. John 3. 9. He that is born of God doth not commit sin Sin not may some say how can you make that good since the most righteous sin seven times a day and there lives not a man upon earth that sins not If we say we have no sin saith St. John We I for one we are not only deceivers but lyars 1 John 1. In many things we offend all saith James We he puts himself in James called the Just puts himself into the number of sinners We offend all all of us in many things and many of us in all things Verebar omnia opera mea saith Job I feared all my works knowing that in the best of them is weakness in the worst wickedness error in all David cries out Who knows how often he offendeth The highest form of believers are not without the actings of sin though the lowest forms are not under the dominion of sin And what were Noahs drunkenesses Lots incest Abrahams dissimulation Davids Adultery Solomons Idolatry Peters Apostacy Thomas â—â—s â—â—credulity were not these sins Noah was a just man in his generation Abraham the Father of the Faithfull and friend of God David was a man after Gods own heart nay the Father of Christ according to the flesh Solomon a type of Christ and Prince of Peace Peter the prime Apostle upon whose faith Christ did build his Church Thomas vouchsafed that never man was to put his finger into the hole of our Saviours side and to handle his wounds yet these tall Cedars were not only shaken but overthrown Et si non timuit lupus illum gregem intrare If the Wolfe feared not to enter into the â—old of which Christ was the Shepherd how may we fear our standing since these strong ones were ever taken with faults no small ones and infirmities not a few Let him that standeth take heed 'T is true peccatum inest in electis non praeest It is in them not over them remanet non regnat it remains in them it reignes not in them Vivit non vincit it lives in them but it conquers them not bellat not debellat it wars but it wins not They are not so perfect so throughly sanctified here in this life that ye fail not or fall at all nor sin at all that peccatum non sit or nisit that sin should not be or be in them but they are so upheld and preserved by the power of God unto salvation ut peccatum non praesit non obsit that sin should not reigne in them nor ruine them because as I said God keeps the feet of his Saints and his seed that is his spirit and word remains in them So that though they fall yet they fall not foully or finally though sin be in them yet it reignes not in their mortal bodies that they should obey it in the lusts and desires thereof because they be born of God and by faith lay hold upon the Lamb of God which hath taken away c. and they have an Advocate with the Father c. But we are to know that this Advocate this Jesus who was so called because he should save though he hath taken away the strength and sting of sin the guilt and condemning power thereof yet he hath not taken away the being of sin The site of sinne that Christ hath not stirred but the spite and might of it that he hath quelled the might that it should not regnare reigne the spite of it that it should not damnare damn Sin is in the best and holiest but it condemns not them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 11 They commit no wickednesse saith David that walk in thy waies that is willingly purposely or resolvedly They sin indeed out of weaknesse and frailty and error out of negligence and carelesnesse and rashnesse but not out of wickednesse intention or presumption out of infirmity and inadvertency they sin but not delightfully or desperately willingly or constantly they sin not finally or to death with their mind they obey the Laws of God though with their flesh the Law of sin or as one saies upon the place They live not unto sin but unto Christ who died for sin or which is the truest and the most comfortable exposition of all They sin
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
Lord what is man Psal 8. Thou madest him little lower in some degrees higher than the Angels and hast crowned him with dignity and honour And in the wordâ— of Iohn 3. 1. Behâ—ld we love the Father c. Well considering our transcendent and high Dâ—gnity let us observe now some duties yet for surely that God that so much honours us we ought by some duty to give him the honour due unto his name Since he hath done so much for us let us doe something for him namely give him our homage and service for Christ will be a Jesus and Saviour to none but to such to whom he is a Lord and King Magnes amoris amâ—r The load-stone of Love is Love and Durus est qui amorem non rependet He is hard-harted who will not returne Love for Love 1. Then let us doâ— nothing to make our heavenly Father ashamed of us It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drinke wine nor Princes strong drinke Prov. 31. 2. It bâ—seems not Saints to be sinners it becomes not us to call God Father as the Jewes called Christ King and spit in his face and revile him You know how Jacob chid and reproved his Sonnes comming from the murther of the Sâ—châ—mites You have made my name to stinke Gen. 34. the last Num est haec tunica fratris vestri saith Jacob to his Sonnes Is this your brothers coat Is it the Livery and guise of Brethren of the Sonnes of God to be hard-harted and cruelly minded one towards another When Caesar was stabbed in the Senat house â—y Brutus and Cassius he cryes out unto Brutus what wilt thou my Sonne as if he had said The cruelty of others I regard not I care not for so much but for Brutus my adopted Sonne one whom I have made my heire for thee to lift up thy hands against me O hold thy hand thou killest me without a blow So for Indians and Pagans Turkes and Barbarians and such as were heard of Christ for such to deny and blaspheme him and so shoote out their arrowes oathes are bitter words as they say the Indians doe at the Sun because they feel no heat of it at noone day it is not so much But for Christians for professed Christians such as call God Father to abuse the name of their Father in cursing and swearing and fearfull imprecations and lyes and perjuries how unfit and uncongruous is it to them 2. If we be the children of God we will meekly beare our heavenly Fathers corrections we will as I said kisse his rodde and embrace his chastisements upon our knees for if we endure chastening and deale with us as with Sonnes for what Sonne c. Heb. 12. 7. There is no Sonne whom the Father chastiseth not Even the beloved Sonne the Sonne in whom he was pleased was Vir dolorum the man of sorrow and one experienced in infirmity Vnicum Deus habet filium sine peccato nullum sine flagello God had one Sonne without sinne but never had he Sonne without sorrow even Christ the Sonne of Gods love and of his desires Qui peccatum non novit Qui peccatum non fecit He that knew no sinne nor did no sinne knew sorrow enough from his Cradle to his Crosse from his Birth to his Grave and he learnt and taught us obedience by those things he suffered although he was the Sonne Now shall the Generall suffer nay bleed and shall we that fight or at least pretend we fight under his banner goe free shall the head suffer and the Members scape No pudeat membrum deliciari sub capite spinis coronato It is a shame for the members to sporâ— and play under the head which was crowned with Thornes A delicate and fine member doth not well agree with a crucified head If then the world crowne Christ with Thornes shall we thinke it will crowne us with Flowers If it Crucified Christ do we thinke it will glorifie us No he that is exempted from the number of them that are corrected he is exempted from the number of Sonnes and they are not Sonnes but Bastards whom our heavenly Father chastiseth not Heb. 13. Afflictions are sure evidences of our sactification 3. If God be our Father and we his children let us live as alwayes in Gods presence and so living feare to offend him we must observe this towards our naturall and civill parents that we dare not offend bâ—fore their face No man will steale in the face of his judge who hath power authority to punish him and fools as we are doâ— dare commit sinne in the presence of our heavenly Father commit any evill in his sight who will certainly bring every work into judgement c. we dare do that in the face of Heaven which we dare not doe if a child sâ—es â—s It was a holy practice of David I set the Lord alwayes before my eyes therefore I shall not fall And it was Asephs holy and pious resolution How can I doe c. Gen. 39. It is without question a strong Bit and Bridle to restraine the most licentious and wicked man living from sinne when he considers that he sees him that shall judge him and that he acts and does all under his Fathers eye God is in this place saith Jacob and I was not aware of it so God sees us though we will not see it nor know it Went not my heart with thee whilst thou wentest after Naaman for a bribe saith Elisha to Gehezi 2 Kings 5. So goâ— not Gods eyes with us whilst we goe into such and such places and about such and such sinnes Quaere locum saith Austin seeke out if you can O sinneâ— a place where God sees you not and sinne and spare not But if Gods eyes be in every place his 7. eyes goe throughout the world As a well-drawnâ— picture which seems to eye all in the room God lookes upon and beholds all the world Cave quid agas Deus tâ— vidiâ— Take we heed what we doe for God â—ees us and what need we care if no man sees us doing any evill when he sees us that shall Judge us 4. If God be our Father and we his Children let us often pray unto our heavenly Father fall upon our knees and aske him blessing we expect this and teach it our children daily to crave our blessing shall we expect and desire that from our children which we will not doe to God looke that our children should doe it daily to us and we doe it so seldome to him God loves to see us daily and constant suppliants to behold us upon our knees and if we know not how to pray as we ought his spirit will helpe our infirmities c. Rom. 8. He that bids us take words into our mouths puts words into our mouthes and bids us say no more than this in faith and full assurance or to this effect Take away our iniquity and receive us
graciously But some may object what needs words since our heavenly Father knowes whereof we have need as Christ saith before we aske what need words to God who knowes the secrets of all hearts and tell us by his Prophets Antequam clametis ego exaudiam Before you call or cry I will heare and David did but cry he would confesse his iniquity and God forgave him his sinne Psal 32. It is true 1. God needs no words but we doe to stir up our hearts and affections to God and 2. Because he would have us take shame and confusion to our selves 3. He hath given us our tongues as Instrments to glorifie him and therefore God will have our glory our tongue as David calls it and often awakens it used in our Petition and thanksgivings our affections and desires are the more inkindled and freed by words and Gods graces are excited by prayer And though God knowes the heart yet he will leave the hid Mâ—n of the heart manifested to man for his edification and example 4. Besides God will be glorified by the inward as well as by the outward Man he made both and redeemed both and therefore will be glorified with both By Prayer we entertaine Familiarity with our heavenly Father it is the language of the Saints yea his Childrens Dialect such a prevailing language it is that it ever prevailes and is never sent empty away what was vaine gloriously spoken by a Kings Favorite may be truly spoken of the King of Kings God can deny prayer nothing It is the hand that takes any thing out of Gods treasury it is the Key that opens Heaven by it Elias opened and shut Heaven as his private chest There is much spoken of it that I can adde nothing but a desire to learne to be so well exercised in it as some as have wrote very worthily of it onely give me leave from a Father to say thus much of it It is Deo sacrificium â—ranti subsidium Diabâ—lo flagellum A sacrifice to God who stileth himselfe a God that heareth prayers a succour to the Soule and therefore to thee saith David shall all flesh come It is a scourge to the Dâ—vill for as one well Gravis aequidem nobis est illius tentatio sed longe illi gravior nostri ratio His temptations are griaevous to us but our prayers are more grievous to him what shall I say If we pray unto God he accounts it a desert and if we praise him a reward he that will not give thus much or rather thus little to his heavenly Father deserves nothing at all from him For Rivers of Gods goodnesse let us give him some drops of our thankfulnesse and follow him with our prayers who followes us with his blessings This is all he requires at our hands who receive all from him Lastly if God be our Father and we his children Let us as Christ counsels us Mat. 6. and God commands us Cast our care upon him for he careth for us and hath given his word five times in his holy Book That he will never faile us nor forsake us Which for the comfort and confidence of Gods children is so often pressed and repeated Whosoever trusts in God saith David wants nothing that is good and he speaks it by his owne experience I have been young c. Reade the 6. of Matthew and you shall see there how our Saviour chides and reproves the diffidence and distrust of his children by sending them to the fowles of the aire the grasse in the field the sparrowes upon the house top to the ravens and lillies c. A sparrow nay a haire of our heads falls not to the ground without Gods providence Et si sic curat superâ—lua in quanta securitate est anima â— If God care thus much for our superfluous things in what great security and safety are our soules And if he feeds the young Ravens that call upon him will he not much more feed you O ye of little faith Certainly he that provides meat for the fowles of the aire will cause the fowles of the aire to provide meat for Man before he shall starve or want And he that clothes the lâ—llies of the field with a far more gloriouâ— mantle than ever covered the corps of Solomon shall he not much sooner cloathe you c. We professe that we rest upon God and trust in him for remission of sins for the resurrection of the body and life everlasting Certainly for conclusion I shall never beleeve that those persons doe or can trust in God for these spirituall blessings who will not trust him for a piece of bread or lock of wooll Cast therefore your care upon God who hath begot you by his Word and feed upon that Word and let that Word feed you Man liveth not by bread alone c. Vita vera est vita fidei The true life is the life of faith and the Just shall live by faith Trust in the Lord and be doing of good walk diligently and carefully in your callings and you shall be fed David spake it by experience I was poore and needy c. Trust I say in him commit thy selfe to him and he will bring it to passe Surely if men that are evill know how to give good gifts unto their children and a bad man may be a good father shall not the God of all comfort and consolation the Father of Spirits provide for us Yes God hath given his Word and good is the Word of the Lord or the Lord will be as good as his word in which word let us rest and repose I will never faile nor forsake thee Thus if we beare filiall and dutifull respects to our heavenly Father who hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled and which fadeth not away 1. By being obedient to him 2. By doing nothing to make him ashamed of us 3. By meekly bearing his chastisements 4. By living in his presence and so living in feare to offend him 5. By daily praying unto God for by daily praying we shall learne to love and to feare him Lastly by relying and depending upon him for all things necessary both for body and soule when we shall goe hence to be no more seene we shall goe to our Father receive and obtaine the inheritance of sons and be welcommed with that blessed Venite of Christ our Judge and elder Brother Come ye blessed children of my Father inherit c. Mat. 25. To which Kingdome he for his Name sake bring us which so dearly bought us and that Kingdome for us Jesus Christ the righteous To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all honour praise power might majesty and domonion now and for evermore AMEN AMEN Soli Deo gloria