will to preserve thee from sin to prepare thee for growth unto full holiness and righteousness this was the effect of Jeremiahs prayer Convert me O Lord Ier. 31.18 and I shall be converted heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me Ier. 17.14 O Lord and I shall be saved Turn thou us O good Lord and so shall we be turned Jer. 17.14 and Lament 5.21 Lam. 5.21 It is the Lord that converts and heals and saves and turns and Prayer is the means to produce this effect in thee when we are required to pray to repent and believe we are not to seek strength in our selves but to search into the Covenant and turn the promise into prayer As the Command is Repent Act. 17.30 Now the Covenant is Christ shall give repentance Act. 5.31 and therefore pray Turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 then bow thy knees and humbly heartily frequently fervently implore the influence of Gods blessed spirit Cry with the Spouse in the Canticles Awake O North-wind Cant. 4.16 and come thou South-wind and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Cantic 4.16 The more rushing and mighty this wind of the Spirit is the more will he make thee fructifie in his graces and blessings therefore cry again and again O Lord Psal 51.10 let thy Spirit come upon me create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me O Lord Jesu send thy Spirit into me which may restore me from this death of sin unto the life of holiness Thus wouldest thou ask and continue asking thus wouldest thou cry and continue crying then could I assure thee of the promise which God hath made and cannot deny he that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and Matth 7.8 to him that knocketh by continuance and perseverance it shall be opened Mat. 7.8 The second wing or hand that bears and leads thee to these steps of the new birth is Constant hearing of the Word thou must attend the gates of wisdom and wait on her posts thou must come to Gods house and hearken to the ministery of the Word no doubt but if thou beest constant in this duty God will stir up some good Samuel God will use some of his Priests consecrated to that office to beget thee again Understand this soberly for if Jesus Christ himself should preach to the soul every day and give not out of himself the ordinance would be empty to it it is Christs coming in to his people in the ordinances that onely fills the empty soul with good things To this purpose are Gods Ministers called Spiritual Fathers I have begotten you saith Saint Paul through the ministration of the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Cor. 4.15 The Pastors tongue is the Lords Conduit-pipe and hereby he drives the sweet and wholsom waters of life into the souls of his chosen onely do thou frequent the means and thou shalt see at one time or other God will remember thee in mercy It is true I know not when and therefore I wish thee miss no Lords-day to repair to Gods house lest the day of thy neglect might have been the day of thy conversion certain it is no man should expect Gods blessing without his ordinances no eating of bread without plowing and sowing no recovering of health without eating and drinking no posting on land without somewhat to ride on no passage on seas without somewhat to sail in so no blessing no grace no regeneration no new birth at all without waiting upon God in his ways and in his ordinances Now then as thou desirest heaven or the way to heaven to be born again I beseech thee make high account of this ordinance of God the preaching of his Word In preaching of the Gospel light motion and power goes out to all which men resist and some are destroyed not because they could not believe but because they resist and will not obey and so dye Act. 7.51 Luke 13.34 Ezek. 33.11 Hos 13.9 and yet I wish thee not onely to hear it but after thou hast heard consider of it ponder on it and lay the threats and reproofs the precepts and promises unto thine own soul thus if thou hearest and meditatest I doubt not but Gods word will be a Word of power to thee and together with prayer bring thee towards the new birth whither except a man come he cannot possibly see the kingdom of God Thus far of the new birth Gen. 28.12 you see we have mounted those steps whose top like Jacobs ladder reacheth up to heaven witness the next word he that is born again shall see the kingdom of God but he that is not born again he cannot see the kingdom of God He cannot see the kingdom of God THe priviledges of the new birth are these two to see and to see the kingdom of God First to see Which is all one saith a Modern as to enjoy Aretius in loc yet a man may see that which he doth not enjoy but without regeneration there is no sight much less possession of the kingdom of God To see then is the lesser happiness of which the unregenerate are debarred but to see in it self is a great and gracious priviledge to which the regenerate are admitted for whether by Gods kingdom be meant the kingdom of grace or the kingdom of glory Happy are the eyes that see these things But whose eyes are they If we examine the unregenerate he sees no whit into the awful Majesty of God the Father he sees no whit of the beauty mercy and pity of his Savior he sees no whit into that glorious highness of Gods Spirit in Heaven nor yet of his nighness to his brethren on earth Hence it is that when he comes into the Temple among the Congregation of Gods Saints his soul is not delighted with their prayers praises Psalms and Service he sees no comfort no pleasure no content in their actions But the new man is of better sight the graces of the Spirit and the ward-robe of Gods glory are all produced to his eye as if the Lord should say Come and see so Moses Stand still and see the salvation of God Venite videte Psal 46.8 Exod. 14.13 Ephes 1.18 Revâ—l 3.18 so Christ to his Apostles It is given to your eyes to see these things to others but by parables He that is born again hath a spiritual eye and a celestial object The eye of his understanding is enlightned saith St. Paul anointed saith S. John To what end But that he may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints Ephes 1.18 See a priviledge of which the unregenerate is ever barred his minde is dark even darkness it self Ephes 5.8 And therefore it is no wonder Ephes 5.8 what is said by our Savior that he cannot cannot see the kingdom of God
Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isaiah 64.4 Isa 64.4 Waiting patiently saith a Modern for the Lords coming to comfort us either in temporal or spiritual distresses is a right pleasing and acceptable duty and service unto God which he is wont to crown with multiplyed and overflowing refreshings when he comes To this end saith the Prophet They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 Isa 40.31 Nay and should a man dye saith my Author in this state of waiting if his heart in the mean time sincerely hate all sin heartily thirst for the mercy of God in Christ and resolve truly upon new universal obedience for the time to come he shall certainly be saved because the holy Ghost saith Blessed are all they that wait for him Isa 30.18 Isa 30.18 Or if this will not satisfie his desire let his desire quicken and set on work with extraordinary fervency the spirit of prayer let him have recourse again and again unto the promises of Scripture towards the poor heavy-laden penitent souls and when the time is come if it will come which God hath appointed then shall he feel this joy unspeakable the joy of the Holy Ghost and this is the head the height the top the highest step in this kingdom of grace the kingdom of God Or secondly if by the kingdom of God is meant the kingdom of glory see then what a priviledge waits on the new man no sooner shall his breath and body be divorced but his soul mounted on the wings of Angels shall straight be carried above the starry firmament there shall it inherit the kingdom Luke 12.32 Luke 12.32 Matth. 7.21 Acts 14.22 an heavenly kingdom Matth. 7.21 the kingdom of God Act. 14.22 and truly called so for 't is a kingdom of Gods own making beautifying and blessing a kingdom beseeming the glorious residence of the King of kings a kingdom creating all Kings that but inhabit in it But here my discourse must give way to your meditations I cannot speak this priviledge therefore conclude with Austin Augustin Anima quae amat ascendat frequenter currat per plateas caelestis Jerusalem visitando Patriarchas salutando Prophetas admirando exercitus Mount your meditations on the wings of faith and behold in Heaven those states of wonder Patriarchs shining Prophets praising Saints admiring hands clapping harps warbling hearts dancing the exercise a song the ditty Alleluiah the quiristers Saints the consorts Angels c. See more of this in my last things In this fountain of pleasure let the new-born Christian bathe his soul for his it is and he it is onely that shall see it injoy it Except the man born again no man shall ever see the kingdom of God Thus far of the priviledges of the new birth there waits on it the eye of faith and righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in a word the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory And now beloved say Vse what would you do to obtain these priviledges should any hand reach you a Crown for the pains to take it should any but cast at your feet a bag of gold and you might make it your own for the stooping would you not for so great a reward do so little a service Matth. 11.30 and what is Gods service but perfect freedom the yoke is easie the burthen is light but the reward is grace glory endless felicity Bestir then your selves and if ever you mean to see the kingdom of God endeavor to run through this new birth and to lead a better life then heretofore you have done Thus whilest the Minister speaks Christ comes with power and therefore he speaks and perswades I conclude with my speeth to thee whosoever thou art into whose hands this Book is fallen the truth is the work is weak and answerable in that kinde to the Author of it many and many a stitch in my side many a pull at my heart many a gripe in my stomack besides the pangs of my soul endeavoring to practice what I have writ have I suffered and felt since I first begun it and yet the comfort I have received my self in this one necessary thing hath made me contrary to the desires of my best friends to run through this short work by taking a longer time as my continual disease would now and then suffer me If when I am gone thou reapest any spiritual good by this my surviving pains it is next to Gods glory all my desire Yet I live but to save thy soul I care not how soon I might dye yea on that condition I could be willing if God so pleased the lines that thou readest were writ with the warmest blood in my heart willing said I yea I could be willing and glad as little blood as I have in my body to let it run and run for thy spiritual good to the very last drop in my veins I say no more consider what I have said Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God An appendix containing a more particular Method for the man not yet born again to have his part in the second birth CHAP. I. The occasion and method of this Treatise SOme there are who hearing the new birth or first repentance to be so necessary to salvation but never feeling in themselves any such change or conversion have therefore desired further helps though naturally thou art blinde and wretched and miserable and poor and naked yet the Lord hath not left thee without means and helps to this purpose he hath set up his ordinances not that man of himself can dispose himself unto grace but that the Spirit of Christ in the use of the ordinances without any habitual or sanctifying grace in mans heart can dispose of man to the reception of habitual or sanctifying grace True it is I advised them in the former Treatise to be frequent in prayer and in hearing of the word But so we have done say they and yet we feel no conversion it may be so for not always the doing of them but perseverance in them through Christ obtains the blessing desired And yet if they will out of hand settle themselves to the work It is the Lord that saith Break up the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 i. seek to the Lord to break them for thee Be in the use of the means and the Lord may come in and break thy heart I shall for their further satisfaction give them a more particular Method and without a Text taken take my self more liberty to put them in the way Two things I suppose necessary for them that would have part in the new birth 1.
all men the most unlikely is a Jew of all Jews a Ruler of all Rulers a Pharisee Have any of the Rulers or the Pharisees believed on him But howsoever it seem thus unlikely unto us the Spirit of God bloweth where it listeth here is amongst many believers one Nicodemus and he is a man of the Pharisees a Ruler of the Jews vers 1 a Jew a Ruler a Pharisee Luk. 3.8 God is able even of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham yea we see here be they never so stony our Saviour melts one of them with a miracle and by a new birth he will make him a son of Abraham indeed A miracle brings him to Christ and Christ brings him to a new birth The first Nicodemus confesseth vers 2 Rabbi faith he to our Savior we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dost except God be with him The second our Savior affirmeth as if he had answered to say I am sent from God and not to be born again will never help thee to Heaven thy confession is right that I am sent from God but thy conversation is wrong that art not born again thou comest to me with confession of thy faith but here is a further Catechism another lesson and therefore as thou callest me Rabbi if thou wilt be a Scholar in my School thou must learn these principles these rudiments these first things this text this A B C of Christian an Religion Except a man be born again he cannst see the Kingdom of God In prosecution of which words all tending to this one point of the new birth we shall follow the order set down by the Holy Ghost where is 1. The necessity of it no going to heaven without it Except 2. The generality of it every man is bound to it a man 3. The maner of it how a man is wrought in it he must be born again 4. The issue of it what effects are annext to it the Kingdom of God and sight of that Kingdom a man that is born again shall see the Kingdom of God and Except a man be born again he shall not see the Kingdom of God These be the branches and of every of them by Gods assistance we shall gather some fruit for the food of your souls The first branch is the first word Except Except THis Except is without exception for unless we are new born there is no going to Heaven before we live here we are born and before we live there we are new born as no man comes into this world but by the first birth so impossible it is that any should go to Heaven in another world but by the second birth And this gives us the necessity of Regeneration Except a man be new born Doct. he can never be saved It is our Saviors speech and he confirms it with a double asseveration Verily verily I say unto thee Twice verily which we finde not any where but in S. Johns Gospel Rupert in loc and no where in the Gospel so oft as on this argument how then should we disbelieve this truth where we have such a witness as Christ such a testimony as his Verily verily I say unto thee Again God the Father thus counsels not onely Nicodemus but all the Jews of the old Church Ezek. 18.31 saying Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you dye O house of Israel Ezek. 18.31 Notwithstanding all their priviledges for they are Israelites Rom. 9.4 to whom pertains the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Rom. 9.4 Yet here is one thing necessary Vuum necessarium that must crown all the rest they must have a new heart and a new spirit that is to say they must be new born or there is no way but death from which death see how the Lord pulls them with his cords of love alluring wooing questioning Why will ye dye O house of Israel And yet again not onely the Son and the Father Revel 2.17 but the Holy Ghost too will avouch this truth He that hath an ear Rev. 3.12.13 let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis his damnare reos illis absolvere paena Metamorphos l. 15. Hunc macrine diem numera meliore lapillo Pers Sat sâ—cunda Aretius in loc 1 Cor. 5.17 And what 's that To him that overcometh will I give a white stone and in the stone a new name written yea I will write upon him New Jerusalem and I will write upon him my new name Revel 2.17 and 3.12 The meaning is he that is new born and so overcomes sin Gods Spirit will give him his grace the white stone and his Kingdom the new Jerusalem and a new name the name of filiation saith a Modern whereby truly he is called the new born Son of God See here how old things being done away all things are become new by a new birth man hath got a new name a new inheritance and therefore as the Spirit so the new birth is called a fire that purgeth away dross and makes souls bright and new so that we must pass thorow this fire or no passage into Paradise Nor is this Doctrine without reason or ground For Except by the second birth man is first unholy Heb. 12.14 and therefore most unfit to enter into Heaven Without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 And what is man before he is new born if we look upon his soul we may see it deformed with sin defiled with lust outraged with passions overcarried with affections pining with envy burthened with gluttony boyling with revenge transported with rage and thus is that Image of God transformed to the ugly shape of the Devil Or should we take a more particular view every faculty of the soul is full of iniquity the understanding understands nothing of the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 the will wills nothing that is good 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 6.20 Gal. 5.17 Rom. 6.20 the affections affect nothing of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 In a word the understanding is darkned the will enthralled the affections disordered the memory defiled the conscience benummed all the inner man is full of sin and there is no part that is good no not one But what say we of the body sure that is nothing better it is a rotten carrion altogether unprofitable and good for nothing should we view it in every part and member of it the head contrives mischief the eyes behold vanity the ears let in sin the tongue sends out oaths Come we lower the heart lodgeth lusts the hands commit murther the feet run to evil all the senses are but so many matches to give fire to lusts deceits envies and what not How needful now is a new birth to a man in
this case Can he enter into heaven that savours all of earth Will those precious gates of gold and pearls open to a sinner No he must first be new moulded and sanctified or he is excepted Except a man be new born Secondly Except This and man is Gods enemy no greater opposition than betwixt God and a sinner Consider we him in his essence or in his attributes in his essence he is called Jehovah both in respect of his being and of his promises in respect of his being and so God is contrary to sin for sin is ataxy disorder confusion a not-being and God is order perfection holiness an absolute and a simple being in respect likewise of his promises wherein there is a main opposition to sin for howsoever he promiseth a reward to the regenerate and so the name Jehovah is a golden pledge unto us Psal 11.6 that if we repent he will forgive us yet withal he promiseth storms and tempest fire and perdition to the unregenerate and thus his name and nature is altogether opposite to sin and sinners But view we those attributes of God I mean his Justice truth patience holiness anger power his Justice in punishing the impenitent according to his deserts his truth effecting those plagues which he hath spoken in his time his patience forbearing sins destruction till they are grown full ripe his holiness abhorring all impurities He cannot behold iniquity his anger stirring up revenge against all offered injuries his power mustring up his forces yea all his creatures against his enemies and what can we say but if all these attributes are at enmity with sinful man woe worth to man because of offences better he had never been born then not to be new born alas what shall become of him Can he that is Gods enemy see God in his glory no there is no way but one Except he repent Except he be born again Thirdly Ephes 2.12 1 Cor. 5.17 Except by a new birth man is without Christ for If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And if he be not in Christ what hopes of that man It is onely Christ that opens Heaven it is onely Christ that is the Way to Heaven besides him there is no Way no Truth no Life and if we be in him as the branch in the vine it is of necessity that we bring forth good fruit Upon these terms his death is effectual if we become new creatures or otherwise all his Merits his blood that was shed his body that was crucified his soul that was agonized they are nothing unto us we nothing bettered by them he dyed for all but his death is not applyed his Kingdom is not opened save onely unto them that have learned and practised this rule of Exception Except a man be born again Fourthly Except before Excepted a man is a very limb of Satan a childe of darkness and one of the Family of Hell Consider this ye that are out of the state of Grace in what miserable thraldom is your souls Should any call you servants or slaves of Satan you would take it highly in disdain but take it as you please if you are not regenerate you are in no better case Paul appeals to your own knowledge Rom. 6.16 23. Know you not that to whomsoever you give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 23. If then ye obey the Devils suggestions which you do being unborn what are you but the Devils servants And if he be your Master what is you wages You may see it in the last verse The wages of sin is death death of the body and death of the soul death here and death hereafter in Hell fire Alas that Satan should have this power on man that he who is the enemy and means nothing to a sinner but death and damnation should be his Lord and Tyrannize it over him at his own will and pleasure Would any man be hired to serve Lyons and Tygers 1 Pet. 5.8 And is not the Devil a roaring Lyon walking about and seeking whom he may devour To serve him that would devour his servant is a most miserable bondage and what pay can one expect from Devils but roaring and devouring and tearing souls In this plight are the servants of Corruption slaves of Satan so I rightly call them for Of whomsoever a man is overcome 2 Pet. 2.19 even unto the same is he in bondage 2 Peter 2.19 To winde up this point Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy Holy Mountain If we believe David Not he that slandereth with his tongue or doth evil to his Neighbor Psa 15.1 3 5. Or giveth his money upon Vsury or taketh a reward against the innocent No such are servants of Satan and here is matter of Exception against them Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God The sum of all Without Regeneration no Kingdom for whether we consider man in regard of himself or of God or of Christ or of Satan he is Except he be new born unholy Gods enemy out of Christ in Satan And if the New Birth be thus necessary Vse how should we (a) Thus is the language of God I said Behold me to a nation that was not called by my Name Isa 65.1 labor to be born again I mean not as Nicodemus to enter into our mothers womb again and be born It is not the seed of man in the womb of our Mother but the seed of Grace in the womb of the Church that makes us blessed and if we are thus born by Grace then are we sanctified made Sons of God Heirs with Christ over whom Satan can have no power at all Now then as you tender your souls and desire Heaven at your ends (b) Thus whilest the Minister speaks its Christ comes with power in the word Eze. 18.31 endeavor to attain this one thing necessary (c) Pray because God bids you pray it may be he will come in when you pray When Simon Magus was in the gall of bitterness Peter bid him pray Actâ— 8 22. Lift up your hearts unto God that you may be washed justified sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and that by the Spirit of God you may walk in new ways talk with new tongues as being new creatures created unto good works Thus would you (d) Not that we can wait by a power of our own but he that saith Therefore will the Lord wait that be may be gracious to you Isa 30.18 He draws and gives a power to wait on him and he comes in when he hath waited the fittest time wait on God in his way I trust the Lord in mercy would remember you and his Spirit would blow upon you and then you would finde and feel such a change within you as that you would bless God for ever that you were thus born again Otherwise how
woful are you considering this bar in heavens door to keep out the unregenerate Except Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Thus far of the Exception we now come to the Person that is a Nisi prius in the front Except This is the party that must prosecute the cause a man A man ANd this man is every man and every part of man It implyes all men for all are bound to it and all man for all the parts of his body and all the powers of his soul are to be renewed or he cannot be saved The word then is general whether we respect genera singulorum the kindes all men or singula generum the Individuums all man or all the parts of man body and soul We will first begin with the kindes Doct. 1 All men or all mankinde must be regenerated before they be saved not one of all the sons of Adam that shall ever go to heaven except he be born again may your contemplations guided by Gods word go into that Paradise above there walk the streets behold the towers view the subjects from the one end of heaven to another and whom finde you there Not one that lives and dyes in sin there is not in it nor shall enter into it any thing that defileth Rev. 21.27 neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye Revel 21.27 yet if such repent them of their sins the gates shall not be shut against them all the Saints that now walk in the light of it were sinners but first they were purged by the Lamb and sanctified by the Spirit first they were regenerated and so they were saved You may object If all men that go to heaven must be new born what shall become of infants that dye ere they be born Can a man enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born said Nicodemus But can a man enter into the second birth in his mothers womb say you and be born again before he is once born I answer to be born again supposeth to be once born indeed therefore according to the letter our Savior speaketh of a man already born into the world that he must be born again But if we seek out the sense to be born again as our Savior interprets is to be born of water and of the Spirit and so may Infants not born into the world be born again Ierem. 1.5 Thus we read of Jeremy The word of the Lord came unto him saying Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee Jer. 1.5 And thus we read of John the Baptist the Angel of the Lord saying of him that He should be filled with the Holy Ghost Luk. 1.15 even from his mothers womb Luk. 1.15 By these examples we see what the Lord can do yea what he doth indeed although we know not how nor can it be observed by us You may yet object to be born again is saith our Savior to be born of water and of the Spirit now water is the outward Baptism and the Spirit is the inward grace thus * Quindecem patres proposuit Bellarminus Tomo secundo lib. 2. de effectu Sacramentorum cap. 3. Hook Eccles Polit. l. 5. sect 59. all Ancients have construed this text saith Hooker but children not born howsoever they are sanctified by the Spirit they cannot be baptized with water and therefore they cannot see the Kingdom of God I answer In cases of extremity or impossibility if actual Baptism be wanting vocal is enough and thus far some of our adversaries grant us Aquin. 3. part quaest 68. art 2. Though it be wanting indeed saith Aquinas yet Baptism in desire is sufficient to salvation And to this end he cites Austin saying Sanctification may be without Baptism and Baptism without Sanctification if Sanctification be though Baptism be not it avails to salvation but if Baptism be and Sanctification be not it avails nothing at all Our conclusion is this All men or all mankinde yong men and maidens old men and children Psal 148.12 all must be regenerated or they can never see the Kingdom of God Secondly Doct. 2 as all men so all man all the members of his body all the faculties of his soul Sanctification if saving must be perfect and entire though not in respect of degrees yet in respect of parts every part and power of body and soul must have its part of sanctification though no part his full perfection before the dissolution of our earthly tabernacles Hence say Divines there is a regeneration or sanctification it is all one inchoata and consummata inchoata begun in this life consummata perfected in that other and of this saith our Savior Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you Matth. 19.28 that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel we speak not of this Regeneration but of that which brings to this for we must be regenerated here or have no part there with God in his glory And should we consider man in his parts every part must bear a part in this birth his body must be regenerated his soul must be renewed we will begin with the body As you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6.19 even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness Rom. 6.19 As every member of the old man is full of sin so every member of the new born man is to be renewed by grace To instance in some of them The heart Matth. 15.19 that in the old man is full of evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies in the new man it is the member that must first be renewed here grace first seats it self and after is dispersed over all as in natural generation the heart is first framed so in spiritual regeneration the heart is first reformed Some call it the first mover of all mens actions for as the first mover carrieth all the sphaeres of heaven with it so doth the heart carry all the members of the body with it and therefore it is that the new man begins first with his heart for if that fountain be right all the streams of his desires purposes affections speeches actions conversations run sweet and clear and pleasant Again the eye that in the old man is the Broaker that goes between the heart and the object to make up the sinful bargain Matt. 6.23 2 Pet. 1.14 Iob. 31.1 that which our Savior calls an evil eye S. Peter an adulterous eye in the new man it must be exercised on other objects I made a covenant with mine eye saith Job why then should I think upon a maid I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills saith David from
know the Spirit is above and the new birth or regeneration comes from the Spirit But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is so or what moves the Spirit to do so besides his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of his will we cannot tell Or if we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as others do Beda Erasm paraph. in loc the words then run thus Except a man be born again To this Nicodemus's reply seems more direct How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb No question he took Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely thus he mistook that the second birth should be after the maner of the first birth and therefore he saith Can a man that is old such as he himself was be born again No saith our Savior that which is born of the flesh is flesh and there is but one birth after this maner but to be born again is to be born after the Spirit and this is that second birth A man is first born of the flesh Doct. and he must be again born of the Spirit Hence appears the difference of the first and second birth the first birth is of the earth earthy the second birth is of the Lord from heaven heavenly the first birth is of nature full of sin the second is of grace full of sanctity the first birth is originally of flesh and blood the second birth is originally of the Spirit and water In a word the first birth kills the second gives life generation lost us it must be regeneration that recovers us O blessed birth without which no birth is happy in comparison of which though it were to be born heir of the whole world all is but misery Heb. 11.24 this was Moses praise that he esteemed the reproach of Christ above all the treasures in Egypt rather would he be the son of God then to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.24 No question it is a great dignity to be called the son in Law to a King 1 Sam. 18.23 Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 37. Act. 8.37 Acts 10.47 Acts 16.14 Titus 2.5 but nothing in comparison of being the Son of God this sonship is that degree above which there needs no aspiring and under which there is no happiness no heaven no kingdom Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Thus far of the maner of the words which containing the new birth it appears in them the father of it is God the seed of it the Word the mother of it the Church the place of it whence from Heaven the time of it when after a man is once born then he must be again born Except a man be born again Secondly as you see the maner of the words containing the new birth so now see the maner of the new birth contained in the words I know it is not wrought in all after one maner nor is the maner known to us but onely so far forth as it is sensible in us and therefore we must consider man before baptism in baptism after baptism In some is the new birth wrought before baptism as in the eunuch under Candace Queen of the Aethiopians Acts 8.37 and in the Captain Cornelius together with his kinsmen and and near friends Acts 10.47 and in Lydia Acts 16.14 and so our charity tells us that every Infant dying before baptism is renewed by the Spirit but the maner of this working we know not for it is one of the secrets of the Spirit of God In others is the new birth wrought in Baptism which indeed is the Sacrament of the new birth and seal of Regeneration but howsoever in Paedo-Baptism we see the outward seal yet we see not we feel not the maner of the inward working for this also is the secret of the * Bellar. Tom. 2. de Sacram. Baptism c 10. habent fidem habitualem See Dr. Field concerning the Author of the grounds of the old and new Religion S. 2. Fides est in infantibus potentia inclinatione Ursinus parte secunda Catechis quest 74. Spiritus operatur in potentiis animae ipsorum ut Bellar habeut spiritum fidei Zanch. in cap. 2. ad Ephes spirit of God In others is the new birth wrought after Baptism so Polanus but whether after Baptism or in Baptism we will not dispute onely as the case stands with us this I affirm That there is no manifestation of the new birth until after Baptism But when after Baptism I answer whensoever men receive Christ by faith which though it be many years after yet then do they feel the power of God regenerate them and to work all things in them which he offered in Baptism Now the maner of this feeling or of Gods Spirit working proceeds usually thus There be certain steps of degrees say Divines by which it passeth and howsoever in those whom God hath blessed with that great favor of holy and Christian education the Spirit of God dropping grace into their hearts even very betimes these steps or degrees are not so easily perceived Yet in those men who have lived long in sin whose sins have been gross and great and grievous no sooner come they to a new birth but they can feel grace work in them step after step and these steps we shall reckon to the number of eight The first is a sight of sin and this our Savior reckons for the first work of the Spirit When he is come Iohn 16.8 he will reprove the world of sin John 16.8 Of sin how why thus no sooner begins this blessed change from nature to grace but the conscience wrought on by Gods word opens its book and presents to the soul a bed-roll of those many mighty hainous sins committed against God and man there he may read in bloody burning lines the abominations of his youth the sins of all his life and to bring them into method the Commandments of God stand as a remembrancer before his eyes the first tells him of his loving somewhat above God the second of his worshipping a false God or the true God after a false maner the third of his dishonoring the great and mighty name of God the fourth of his breaking the Lords days either in doing the works of the flesh or leaving undone the works of the Spirit nor is this all as against God so against his neighbor hath he sinned the fifth tells him of his stubbornness and disobedience the sixth of his passions and desire of revenge the seventh of his lewdness and lustful courses the eighth of his robberies and covetous thefts the ninth of his lyes and and slanders back-bitings and rash judgements the tenth of his covetous thoughts and motions of the heart to all maner of evil Good Lord what a number of evils yea what innumerable swarms of lawless thoughts and words and actions doth he
of his minion-delight his bewitching-beloved-bosom-sin And now is the new man born amongst us will you view him Old things are passed away 1 Cor. 5.17 behold all things are become new 1 Cor. 5.17 His heart his eye his ear his tongue his understanding his will his memory his conscience his love his hatred his hope his fear his joy his sorrow will you any more his thoughts his words his actions his affections are all new this conversion is universal this change is a through change now is Christ formed in him now is he transformed into a new creature before he was in making a new man but now he is made new God the Father accepts him for his son God the Son stamps on him the Image of his Father but more immediately God the Holy Ghost hath thus moulded and fashioned him as I have let you see him and now he is born again which except a man be he shall not cannot see the kingdom of God Lo here those steps that raise up a man to the state of regeneration A sight of sin Sense of misery Sorrow for sin Seeking for comfort A sight of Christ Desire after Christ Relying on Christ Obedience to Christ one word more before we have done You see how God brings along the man whom he purposeth to make his Vse 1 and yet let no truly humbled sinner be discouraged if he observe not so distinctly the order of these steps and especially in that degree as you see we have related for if in substance and effect they have been wrought in them if he have them in truth though perhaps not in this degree I dare pronounce of him that he is surely born again It is one of our worthies hath said it that in our humiliations and other preparative dispositions we do not prescribe precisely just such a measure and quantity we do not determine peremptorily upon such or such a degree and height we leave that to the wisdom of our great Master in heaven the onely wise God who is a most free agent But sure we are a man must have so much and in that measure as throughly to humble him and then to bring him to his Savior he must be weary of all his sins and of Satans bondage wholly willing to pluck out his right eye and cut off his right hand I mean to part with his best-beloved bosom lusts to sell all and not to leave so much as an hoof behinde he must see his danger and so haste to the City of refuge he must be sensible of his spiritual misery that he may heartily thirst for merâ—y he must finde himself lost and cast away in himself that Christ may be all in all unto him and after must follow an hatred of all false and evil ways for the time to come a through-change of former courses company conversation and setting himself in the way and practice of sobriety honesty and holiness The sum is of every soul is required thus much first a truly penitent sight sense and hatred of all sin secondly a sincere and unsatiable thirst after Jesus Christ and righteousness both imputed and inherent thirdly an unfained and unreserved resolution of an universal new obedience for the time to come If any man hath had the experience of these affections and effects in his own soul whatsoever the measure be less or more he is safe enough and may go on comfortably in the holy path Now then let me advise thee whomsoever thou art that readest to enter into thine own soul Vse 2 and examine thine own state whether or no thou art yet born again Search and see whether as yet the spirit of bondage hath wrought its effects in thee that is to say whether thou hast been illightened convinced and terrified with a sensible apprehension and particular acknowledgement of thy wretched estate Search and see whether as yet the Spirit of adoption hath sealed thee for his own that is to say Whether after thy heart being broken thy spirit bruised thy soul humbled thy conscience wounded and awaked thou hast had a sight of Christ and hast thirsted after him and hast cast thy self on him and hast followed his ways and Commandments by an universal obedience If upon search thou canst say without self-deceit that so it is with thee then mayest thou bless God that ever thou wast born certainly I dare say it thou art born again But if thou hast not sense or feeling of these works if all I have spoken are very mysteries to thee what shall I say but if ever if ever thou meanest to see the kingdom of God strive struggle endeavor with thy might and main to become truly regenerate thus whilest the Minister speaks it is Christ that comes with power in the word Ezek. 18.31 32. thou mayest say perhaps it is not in thy power thou art onely a meer patient and Gods Spirit the agent and who can command the spirit of the Lord that bloweth where he listeth at his own will and pleasure I answer It is indeed the Spirit and not man that regenerates or sanctifies but I answer withal The doctrine of the Gospâ—l is the ministration of the Spirit and wheresoever that is preached as I preach it now to thee there is the holy Ghost present and thither he comes to regenerate nay I can say more there is a common work of illumination that makes way for regeneration and this common work puts a power into man of doing that which when he shall do the Spirit of God may nay will in the day of his power mightily work in him to his quickening and purging if then as yet thou feelest not this mighty work of God in thee and yet fain wouldst feel it and gladly dost desire it otherwise I confess it is in vain to speak follow me in these passages I shall lend thee two wings to bear thee two hands to lead thee to the foot of this ladder where if thou ascend these steps aforesaid I dare certainly pronounce of thee thou art the man born again The first wing is Prayer which first brings thee to Gods throne and there if thou hast thy request then to the new birth if I must acquaint thee how to pray Hos 14.2 Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously and then it follows I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely ver 4. Jerem. 30.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned The soul may object I may say thus and be no better But I answer say it though you be no better because God bids you say it Say it and say it again it may be he will come in when you say it Hosea 14.4 Pray that God would please to prepare thy heart to sanctifie thy affections to order thy
The second priviledge is the object of this sight here called the kingdom of God By which some understand Heaven some the way to Heaven most of the Ancients say that by this Kingdom is meant Heaven Calvin is of minde that not heaven Calvin in loc Aretius in loc Parum refert but a spiritual life is thereby understood Aretius saith and I am of his minde that whether we understand the one or the other It matters not much Sure we are that both these Grace and Glory are annexed to the new birth and both very well may be implyed in this word the kingdom of God First then if by the kingdom of God is meant the kingdom of Grace whereof our Savior speaketh The kingdom of God is within you Luke 17.21 Luke 17.21 See to what a priviledge the new man hath attained all the graces of God all the fruits of the Spirit are now poured into him If you ask what graces what fruits St. Gal. 5.22 Paul tells you Gal. 5.22 Love joy peace long-sufferings gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance or would you have us to contract them St. Paul doth it elsewhere the kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. Rom. 14.17 14.17 First Righteousness and that is either active or passive holiness of life or the cause of this holiness our righteousness in Christ If the first be meant no sooner is man born again but he enters into the holy path he declines all evil and stands at the sword point with his most beloved sin or if ever any sin through the violence of temptation seize on him again he is presently put again into the pangs of the new birth and so renewing his sorrow and repairing repentance he becomes more resolute and watchful over all his ways Rom. 12.9 And as he abhors evil so he cleaves to that which is good his faith like the Sun sets all those gracious heavenly stars on shining as hope and love and zeal and humility and patience in a word universal obedience and fruitfulness in all good works not one but all good duties of the first and second Table begin to be natural and familiar to him and though he finde some duties more difficult yet he resolveth and striveth to do what he can and is much displeased and grieved if he do not as he should Or if by righteousness is meant passive righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 to wit our righteousness in Christ no sooner is a man born again but he is cloathed with this righteousness the other God knows is but weak and full of imperfection Extra nos est justitia non in nobis Luther de instit Christiana and therefore to speak properly It is the righteousness in God that makes us appear righteous afore God would you have a plain case as Jacob to procure the blessing of his father hid himself into the apparel of his brother and so received it to his own commodity under the person of another thus the new man puts on the righteousness of Christ with which being clad as with a garment God accepts him in his stead his faults being covered with his Saviors perfection Secondly from this Righteousness ariseth Peace no sooner is man righteous but he is at peace with man at peace with God at peace with himself He is at peace with man Isa 11.6 The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard with the Kid saith the Prophet Isa 11.6 The meaning is that in the kingdom of Christ when a man is called into the state of grace howsoever by nature he is a Wolf or a Leopard or a Lyon or a Bear yet he shall then lay aside his cruelty and live peaceably with all men with all men I say bad and good for if bad the Apostle implyes them As much as in you is have peace with all men Rom. 12.18 Rom. 12.18 Or if good then he cannot but have peace with them yea although before his conversion he hated and maligned them yet now he is ravished with the delight and love of them and to this end he labors might and main to ingratiate himself into their blessed Communion true how should he but love them and sympathize with them whom he believes one day to meet in Heaven and there to enjoy them and they him for ever Nor is this all he is at peace with God he hath humbled himself and confest his fault and cryed for mercy and cast himself upon Christ and vowed amendment of life so that now God by his word hath spoke peace to his soul by the mediation of Christ it is obtained and by the testimony of the Spirit he feels it within him This is that Peace which passeth all understanding it made the Angels sing Peace upon earth it makes his soul reply My peace is in heaven what else The storm is past and the rain is gone away he that lay for a night in the darkness of sorrow and weeping for his sins now he beholds the Son of righteousness appear as the Disciples often did upon the Mount of Olives signifying peace all quiet and calm and pleasant Nor is this all he is at peace with himself I mean his own conscience that which before stirred up the fire that brought him to a sight of sin and sense of Divine Wrath that filled him with fearful terrors compunction remorse and true sorrow for sin it is now turned good and quiet Solomon calls it a continual feast Prov. 15.15 Prov. 15.15 who are the attendants but the holy Angels what is the chear but joy in the Holy Ghost who is the feast-maker but God himself and his good Spirit dwelling in him Nor is this feast without musick Gods word and his actions make a blessed harmony and he endeavors to continue it by keeping peace and a good conscience towards God and man Thirdly from this peace issueth joy in the holy Ghost no sooner is a man at peace with man with God with himself but he is filled with joy that no man can take from him this joy I take to be those blessed stirrings of the heart when the seal of remission of sins is first set unto the soul by the spirit of Adoption For thus it is the soul having newly passed the pangs of the new birth it is presently bath'd in the blood of Christ lull'd in the bosom of Gods mercies secured by the Spirit of its inheritance above and so ordinarily follows a Sea of comfort a sensible taste of everlasting pleasures as if the man had already one foot in heaven But I hear some object They have felt the pangs cast themselves on Christ resolved against all sin and yet no comfort comes It may be so though not ordinarily certain it is whosoever hath this joy is new born yet not every one new born hath this joy if any then be in such case let him hear what the Spirit of truth saith
To get into it 2. To be delivered of it 1. The means to get into it is 1. Examination of themselves 2. Confession of their sins 3. Hearty prayer for the softning of their hearts By which three are procured the three first steps Sight of sin Sense of divine wrath Sorrow for sin 2. The means to be delivered of it is by application of the promises and these according to their several objects produce their several effects some A sight of Christ A desire after Christ A relying on Christ An obedience to Christ A comfort in Christ not onely sought for but obtained if the promises be rightly applyed CHAP. II. Sect. 1. The first means to get into the new birth THe means to get into the new birth is first Examination and the way to examine is to set before men that Chrystal glass of the Law for their light and rule To this purpose I have here annexed a Catalogue or Table to shew them their offences not that I can possibly ennumerate all sins but onely the kindes and if herein I come short yet consciences awaked may be occasioned hereby to bring into their thoughts those others not mentioned Now then whosoever thou art that beginn'st this blessed work examine thy self by this Catalogue but do it warily and truly and where thou find'st thy self guilty either note it in this book or transcribe it into some paper that so they may be ready for thine eye when thou comest to Confession Sect. 2. Sins against the first Commandment IN every Commandment we must observe both the duties required and sins forbidden for both these are implyed in every one of the Commandments if in the first thou art guilty thou must answer negatively if in the second thou must answer affirmatively now then to proceed It is the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other gods but me For the duties here required Say first Hast thou ever in minde will and affections took the true God in Christ to be thy God Secondly hast thou abounded in those graces by which thou shouldst cleave unto God as in the warmth of knowledge and love and fear and joy and trusting in God Thirdly hast thou observed Gods mercies and promises and works and judgements upon thee and by a particular application took special notice thereof Fourthly hast thou communicated with the godly and joyned thy self to Gods people and delighted chiefly in them Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes been guilty of blasphemy or idolatry or witchcraft or atheism or epicurism or heresie Secondly hast thou not been guilty of pride a sin flatly opposing God and first committed by devils Thirdly hast thou not had inward reasonings that there is no God or that he seeth not Psal 14.1 Esay 29.15 Iob 21.14 Ier. 17.5 or knoweth not or that there is no profit in his service Fourthly hast thou not failed to love God and fear God and to put thy whole trust in God Fifthly hast thou not trusted in man or feared man or loved the world and thereby alienated thy heart from God Sixthly hast thou not resorted to witches or in the first place to Physitians and not to the living God Seventhly hast thou not tempted God and in the matters of God been either cold or lukewarm or preposterously zealous Eighthly hast thou not a proneness to sin yea to rebel against God in thy whole man Ninthly hast thou not been careless to perform the inward duties of Gods worship in sincerity and truth if in these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt have no gods but me Sect. 3. Sins against the second Commandment IT is the second Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image For the duties here required Say first hast thou ever worshipped the true God purely according to his will Secondly hast thou observed all those outward duties of his worship as prayer and vows and fasting and meditating and the rest Thirdly hast thou repaired to Gods house observed family duties received the Preachers of the Gospel Or for the sins here forbidden Say first Ier 9.14 hast thou not sometimes walked after the imaginations of thy own heart serving God out of custom or after the maner of thy fore-fathers by will-worship and superstitions Secondly hast thou not committed idol worship conceiving of God in thy minde or respecting him in thy sense in the likeness of a creature Exod 23.13 Thirdly hast thou not mentioned the names of other gods either by way of swearing or apology Fourthly hast thou not made an image to liken God to it Esay 40.18 or used any gesture of love and reverence to any such images Fifthly in a word hast thou not been careless to worship God Zach. 14.17 Psal 14.4 Math. 10.14 to call upon the Lord to receive Gods Ministers or to perform any other of the outward duties of Gods worship If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image Sect. 4. Sins against the third Commandment IT is the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the duties required Say first hast thou been ever a constant learner hearer and doer of Gods Word and Will Secondly hast thou prayed with perseverance understanding and power of the Spirit without doubting or wavering Thirdly hast thou come preparedly to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and being come hast thou discerned the Lords body Fourthly hast thou used all the titles and properties and works and ordinances of the Lord with knowledge faith reverence joy and sincerity Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes in thy talk dishonored the titles attributes religion word people of God or any thing that hath in it the print of his holiness Secondly hast thou not sworn or forsworn or loved false oathes Thirdly Zach 8.17 hast thou not caused the name of religion or people of God to be evil thought of by thy ill course of life or by committing some gross sin Fourthly hast thou not rashly or unpreparedly or heedlesly read the Word heard Sermons received the Sacraments or performed any other part of the worship of God Fifthly hast thou not thought or spoken blasphemously or contemptuously of God or of any thing whatsoever pertaining to God If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Sect. 5. Sins against the fourth Commandment IT is the fourth Commandement Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day For the duties here required Say first hast thou according to the equity of this Commandment ever observed the Lords day and other days and times set apart for Gods service Secondly hast thou on those days rested from the servile works of sin and rested and relyed upon Christ for the remission
of sins and led an holy and religious life that so thou mayest enter into that rest of heaven Heb. 4.11 Thirdly hast thou always prepared thy heart before thou wentest into the house of the Lord by meditation of Gods Word and Works by examination and reformation of thy ways by prayer thanksgiving and holy resolution to carry thy self as in Gods presence and to hear and obey whatsoever thou shouldst learn out of the pure Word of God Fourthly hast thou repaired to Gods house in due time and stayed the whole time of Prayer reading preaching of the Word singing of Psalms receiving of the Sacraments Fifthly hast thou performed private religious offices upon the Lords day to wit In private prayer and thanksgiving in acknowledging thy offences to God in reconciling thy self to those thou hast offended or with whom thou art at variance in visiting the sick comforting the afflicted contributing to the necessity of the poor instructing thy Children and servants and the rest of thy family in the fear and nurture of the Lord Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometime spent the Lords day in idleness Ezek. 46.10 or in wordly business in vanities or in sin Secondly hast thou not omitted publique duties or comest in too late or wentest out too soon Nehem. 10.31 and 13.15 Thirdly hast thou not on those days sold wares carried burthens brought in sheaves or wrought in the harvest Fourthly hast thou not employed thy cattel or servants or children or any other though thou workest not thy self Fifthly hast thou not profaned the Lords day by needless works words or thoughts about thy calling or about thy recreation Sixthly have not the strict observance of the duties of that day been tedious unto thee saying in thine heart When will the day be gone Amos 8.5 If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Sect. 6. Sins against the fifth Commandment IT is the fifth Commandment Honor thy father and thy mother For the duties here required they are either in Family Common-weal Church First Ephes 5.25 1 Pet. 3.7 for the Family Say if thou art an husband 1. Hast thou ever loved thy wife and dealt with her according to knowledge giving honor to her as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers were not hindred If thou art a wife Eph 5.22 24. 1 Pet. 3.4 2. Hast thou submitted to thine own husband as unto the Lord in every thing 3. Hast thou put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price If thou art a parent 4. Ephes 6.4 Hast thou brought up thy children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 5. Hast thou corrected them yet not provoked them by immoderate correction 6. Hast thou provided for them in their callings 2 Tim. 5.8 Rom. 1.30 or outward estates If thou art a childe 7. Hast thou obeyed thy parents and received correction with submission and reverence 8. Heb. 12.9 Hast thou relieved them in their wants 9. Hast thou observed their instructions and covered their infirmities If thou art a master 10. Hast thou entertained Gods servants Prov. 15.15 Gen. 9.22 Col. 4.1 Tit. 2.9 10. and given unto thy servant that which is just and equal If thou art a servant 11. Hast thou been obedient to thy master according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ Not answering again not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity Secondly for the Common-weal if thou art a Magistrate 12. Hast thou executed just laws 13. Hast thou reformed others abuses according to the power that is in thee If thou art a Subject 14. Hast thou obeyed the higher Powers in all just commands 15. Hast thou been subject unto them Rom. 13.5 not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Thirdly for the Church If thou art a Minister 16. Hast thou taught in season and out of season 17. Hath thy light shined before men that they might see thy good works Matth. 5.16 Gal. 6.6 Heb 13 7 17 18. If thou art a hearer 18. Hast thou communicated to them that teach thee in all good things 19. Hast thou obeyed them and prayed for them and loved them and followed them considering the end of their conversation Or for the sins here forbidden And first for the Family Say if thou art an husband 1. Prov. 21.19 Hast thou not sometimes abused thy wife or smitten her or injured her in thought word or deed If thou art a wife 2. Hast thou not been wasteful or froward or idle If thou art a childe 3. Hast thou not despised thy fathers or mothers instructions Prov. 15.5 Prov. 30.17 and 20.20 4. Hast thou not mocked them or despised them or cursed them or smitten them or shamed them or grieved them If thou art a master 5. Hast thou not governed thy family negligently 6. Hast thou not with-held that which is just and equal in diet wages encouragement If thou art a servant 7. Hast thou not been idle and slothful 8. Hast thou not served grudgingly and not from the heart Secondly for the Common-weal If thou art a Magistrate 9. Hast thou not been as a Lyon or a Bear roaring and ranging over the poor people Prov. 28.15 Esa 10.1 10. Hast thou not decreed unrighteous decrees respecting the persons of the poor or honoring the persons of the mighty If thou art a Subject 11. Hast thou not reviled the Gods Levit. 19.15 Exod. 12.28 Rom. 13.1 7. or cursed the Ruler of thy people 12. Hast thou not disobeyed the higher Powers or not denied tribute or custom or honor or fear to whom they are due Thirdly for the Church if thou art a Minister 13. Hast thou not been prophane and wicked in thy life and conversation Ierem. 23.11 14. Hast thou not run before thou wast sent or being sent hast thou not been negligent in the gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4.14 Ierem. 23.13 16. Hast thou not prophesied in Baal and caused Gods people to erre 17. Hast thou not committed simony or sought indirectly for the fleece not regarding respectively the flock 18. Hast thou not strengthened the hands of evil doers Ierem. 23.14 in preaching peace to wicked men 19. Hast thou not given heed to fables or to some unprofitable matter rather than to godly edifying 1 Tim. 1.4 which is in faith If thou art an hearer 20 Hast thou not resisted the Minister and the Word preached by him Gal. 6.6 Heb. 13.7 17 18. whatsoever thou art husband or wife or parent or childe or master or servant or Magistrate or Subject or Minister or hearer if in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broke this Commandment Honor thy father and thy mother Sect.
these manifold sins O that by these sins I should break so holy a law provoke so good and great a Majesty What shall I do but remembring my evil ways Ezek. 36.31 even loath my self in my own sight yea abhor my self in dust and ashes for my iniquities and my abominations c. For conclusion thou mayst imitate the Publican who not daring to lift up his eyes smote his brest so do thou and sigh Luke 18.13 and say with him O God be merciful to me a sinner CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. The third means to get into the new birth AFter Confession which may well serve thee for another days work the next duty thou must labor for is to seek for true sorrow and mourning for thy sins Seek thou must and never leave seeking till thou feel thy heart melt within thee To this purpose reade some tracts of death of judgement of hell of Christs passion of the joys of heaven Last of all and I take it best of all resolve to set every day some time apart to beg it of the Lord When Daniel set himself to pray the Lord came in to him Dan. 9.3 When Peter had gone apart to pray and when Paul had prayed in the Temple then the Lord came in to them Act. 10.6 and 22.17 And why may not I bid thee pray as well as Peter bid Simon Magus yet being in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Act. 8.22 23. and at the time appointed fall down on thy knees spread thy Catalogue confess accuse judge condemn thy self again which done beg beg of the Lord to give thee that soft heart he promised Ezek. 36.26 Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Say then to thy self Is this the Lords promise O Lord perform it to my heart take away my stony heart give me an heart of flesh a new heart a new spirit c. here make thine own prayer be not careful of words onely let the words be the true voice of thy heart and the more to work softning thou mayest sob and sigh and beat thy brest above all thou must pray and call and cry with vehemency and fervency not to be uttered When thou hast done if the Lord do not yet hear thee pray again the next day and the next day yea put on this resolution that thou wilt never leave praying till the Lord hear thee in mercy till he make thee to feel thy heart melt within thee yea if it may be till thou seest thy * Ut hoc modo confring as capita draconum tuorum in aquis tears trickling down thy cheeks because of thy offences The Lord will perhaps hear thee at the first time or at the second time or if he do not persist thou thy suit is just and importunity will prevail yea I can say thy desire to sorrow being resolute it is a degree of godly sorrow it self and no doubt the Lord will increase it if thou begst hard a while Sect. 2. The first reason for this sorrow THis must be done first because without pangs no birth Quid sunt dolores parturientis nisi dolores poenitentis saith Saint Austin the pangs of a penitent man are as the pangs of a woman Aug. in Psal 48. Now as there can be no birth without pains of travel going before so neither true repentance without some terrors of the law and straits of conscience Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear saith the Apostle to the Romans and what is that but to shew us they once did receive it when but in the very first preparation to conversion then it was that the Spirit of God in the law did so bear witness unto them of their bondage that it made them to fear And certainly thus it is with every man in his first conversion his contrition must be compungent and vehement bruising breaking renting the heart and feeling the throws as a woman laboring of childe before there can be a new birth or the new creature be brought forth Sect. 3. The second reason for this sorrow AGain without contrition no Christ therefore it was that God first opened the eyes of our first parents to make them see and be sensible of their sin and misery Gen. 3.7 15. Chrysost in c. 3 Matth. hom 11. Gen. 3.7 before he promised Christ vers 15. therefore it was that John Baptist saith Chrysostome first throughly frighted the mindes of his hearers with the terror of judgement and expectation of torment and with the name of an axe and their rejection and entertainment of other children and by doubling the punishment to wit of being hewn down and cast into the fire and when he had thus every way tamed and taken down their stubbornness then at length he makes mention of Christ Why then is Christ seasonably revealed saith Musculus when the hearts of men being soundly pierced by preaching repentance Musc in Mat. c. 3. Sect. Tunc accedit Iesus Calvin in Esay 61. are possessed with a desire of his gracious righteousness Or if you will hear Calvin To whom is Christ promised but to them alone who are humbled and confounded with the sense of their own sins Certainly the first thing that draws to Christ is to consider our miserable estate without him No man will come to Christ except he be hungry no man will take Christs yoke upon him till he come to know and feel the weight of Satans yoke to this end therefore must every man be broken with threats and scourges and lashes of conscience that so despairing of himself he may flye unto Christ Sect. 4. The third reason for this sorrow AGain Iam. 4.10 without hearty sorrow no spiritual comfort We must first be humbled before the Lord and then he will lift us up Christ indeed was anointed to preach good tidings but to whom to the poor to the broken-hearted to the captives to them that are bound Esay 61.11 to the bruised Esay 61.11 God pours not the oyl of his mercy save into a broken vessel God never comforts throughly save where he findes humiliation and repentance for sin Forbes on Revel c. 14. The word of God saith one hath three degrees of operation in the hearts of his chosen First it falleth to mens ears as the sound of many waters a mighty great and confused sound and which commonly bringeth neither terror nor joy but yet a wondring and acknowledgement of a strange force and more then humane power this is that effect which many felt hearing Christ when they were astonished at his doctrine as teaching with authority Mar. 1.22 27. Luke 4.32 Iohn 7.46 what maner doctrine is this never man spake like this man The next effect is the voice of thunder which bringeth
high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones The condition is to be of a contrite and humble spirit and if thou art thus God is true who hath said it he dwels in thee to revive thy spirit and to revive thy heart Isa 61.1 The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted The condition is to be meek and broken hearted and if this be thy case then good tidings belong to thee and Christ is sent to binde up thy broken heart in the bundle of peace Jerem. 31.19 20. Surely after that I was turned I repented saith Ephraim and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Therefore saith God my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. The condition is to repent to be ashamed confounded for sin and if thy case be like Ephraims God is the same to thee his bowels yearn for thee he will surely have mercy on thee Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness The condition is to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ and this if thou dost then art thou blessed from the mouth of our Savior Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The condition is to labor and be heavy laden with sin and if thou art thus Gods Word is sure thou shalt have rest spiritual and eternal Revel 21.6 I will give unto him that is athirst of the water of life freely The condition is to thirst after the heavenly streams of Gods favor and Christs soveraign blood and this if thou dost then hast thou part in the fountain of the water of life that proceeds out of the throne of God Revel 22.1 and of the Lamb Revel 22.1 All these are so full of comfort that if thou but crush them with the hand of faith they cannot but yield some juyce of sweetness to thy afflicted soul Sect. 7. The means to apply the said promises I Said before it was enough for me to prepare the medicine it is thou must apply it yet if thou feelest a backwardness to perform thy part I shall tell thee of some means to incite thee and help thee onward to the performance of this duty Take then the promises and carry them as thou didst the Catalogue of thy sins into the presence of the Lord and faln down on thy knees beseech God for thy Saviors sake to encline thine heart to believe those promises If thou hast the repulse pray again and again yea resolve never to make prayer but to use this petition that the Lord would please to let thee have some feeling of the life of those promises Some soul may object I have no heart or spirit to pray yet use thy indeavor and in thy indeavors God may come in and whensoever thou feelest any of them to be spirit and life to thee whensoever thou feelest by a certain taste the joys of the Holy Ghost to fall upon thee O happy man that ever thou wast born then art thou to thy own knowledge new born indeed then hast thou without doubt done this most glorious exercise of passing thorow the new birth and then hast thou cause as thou canst not choose to sing and praise God day and night world without end Matth. 5.4 So true is that of Christ Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Amen Sect. 8. The Conclusion HEre is an end and to you to whom I have dedicated this work my conclusion is this The year hath now run his round since I first came amongst you and how the Lord hath wrought by me you your selves know best for my part if I did but know one poor soul amongst you truly converted by such a weak unworthy instrument I would ever think my self most happy in that soul and richly payed for my pains I know it neither Paul nor Apollo can do this except God give the increase howsoever I must tell you with Paul my desires have been this way I have since my coming travelled of you and travelled again that Christ might be formed in you Gal. 4.19 And what 's the issue once could the Lord say Shall I bring to the birth Isa 66.9 and not cause to bring forth and to joyn issue with you have I travelled of you in birth and not one of you brought forth the Lord forbid I confess beloved I have received from you many kindenesses of love now for the Lords sake do me this one kindeness more give me at least one soul among you that I may give it unto God O what a kindeness would you then do me not all the wealth in your Town nor all the increase of your state nor all you have or ever shall have would do me so much good in the day of my Lord Jesus as this one boon I ask then could I say Lord I have not lost the fruits of my labor in this Town see here the soul now shining in glory which I converted by thy power see here the soul of such a one and such a one which through thy grace and my ministery were converted unto thee If this were thus why then beloved you would bless me for ever and I should bless you for ever and we should all bless God for ever for this so gracious and so blessed a work Now the Lord of his goodness give you a sight of your sins and a true sorrow for sin and if not afore now yet now this day the Lord this day set his print and seal upon you The time draws on and I have but a minute a little time to speak to you for a farewel then let these last words take a deeper impression in your hearts if you would do all I would have you do I could wish no more but that to this humiliation or repentance you would adde charity or love the first you owe to God and the second to your neighbor by the first you might become new creatures by the second true Christians like them in the Churches infancy of one minde one heart and one soul sure it is not possible that we should have forgiveness of sins but that we must be of the communion of Saints A thousand pities it is to hear of the many factions in our Church and Kingdoms and Towns and Families O pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love it and let us pray as need we have too for our own peace one with another You cannot come to a Communion but you hear this lesson in the invitation You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and be in love and charity with your neighbors c. Here 's both repentance to God and Charity nay more then charity as we use the word commonly even love of your neighbors For my part I wish that my very heart-blood could cement the divisions of Reuben for which are great thoughts of heart in this Town Iudg. 5.15 in this Church in these Kingdoms 2 Cor. 13.11 I will say no more but conclude with those words of the Apostle Finally brethren fare ye well be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you for ever and ever FINIS