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
not eodem modo after one maner For instance the works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification are the common works of God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost yet every one of these works common to all three are terminated in some one of them So the a 1 Cor. 8.6 Father is said to create the b Iohn 1.10 Son is said to create the c Iob 26.13 Holy Ghost is said to create so the Father is said to redeem the Son is said to redeem the Holy Ghost is said to redeem so the Father is said to sanctifie the Son is said to sanctifie the Holy Ghost is said to sanctifie Thus all three concur to every one of these works and yet every one of these works is terminated specified and formed as it were in the very last act by one of these three The work of the Creation is determinated immediately in God the Father the work of Redemption is determinated immediately in God the Son the work of Regeneration is determinated immediately in God the Holy Ghost And it is memorable that as the community of these works ad extra depends on the unity of Gods Essence so the diversity of their determinations depends on the diverse maners of Gods existence or subsisting the Father is of himself neither made nor begotten and therefore it best agrees with him to make all things of nothing which is the work of Creation the Son is of the Father alone by reflection of his intellect and so called the representation of his Fathers Image and therefore it best agrees with him to represent his Fathers mercies to mankinde by saving them from death and hell which is the work of Redemption the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son proceeding and as it were breathed from them both by the act of the will and therefore it best agrees with him that bloweth where he listeth to blow on our wills and by his breath to purge and purifie us which is the work of Regeneration To sum up all in a word this work of Regeneration or Sanctification or whatever else you will call it in respect of the work it is of the Father Son and Holy Ghost but in respect of the last act it is of the Holy Ghost Iohn 3.6 8. and not of the Father nor the Son and thus our Savior concludes Joh. 3.8 That which is born of the spirit is spirit and so is every man that is born of the spirit Secondly as Gods Spirit is the principal so Gods Word is the instrumental cause of our Regeneration Ye are born again saith Saint Peter not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God 1 Pet. 1.23 1 Iohn 1.1 Rom. 10.17 Rom. 11.10 which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 this word St. John calls the word of life St. Paul the producer of faith and the power of God unto salvation yea this word is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. Heb. 4.12 4.12 they that are born again cannot but remember how quick and powerful and sharp Gods word was at their Regeneration first like an hammer it beat on their hearts till it broke them all to pieces and then like a sword by a terrible cutting piercing power it struck a shaking and trembling into the very center of their souls last of all like oyl when as the man in the Gospel Luke 10.30 they were wounded indeed it began to supple those wounds and to heal the bruises and to refresh the weak and tender heart with all the promises of God revealed in Christ And thus a man being begotten of the Spirit with the word of truth he comes at last to the birth So we read Except a man be born And this I suppose to be fuller then the other because a begetting may be and no birth follow as many that are stifled in the womb are begotten not born but if the birth be it doth presuppose a begetting Doct. and so it implyes it Except a man be born that is except a man be begotten and born he cannot see Gods kingdom If you ask of whom born I answer as God is Father so the Church is the Mother of every childe of God to this purpose saith the Apostle Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Gal. 4.26 what is Jerusalem but the Church Psal 122.5 for as that City was the seat of David Psal 122.5 so is this Church the throne of Christ figured by the kingdom of David Rev. 3.7 Revel 3.7 and therefore of both these God thus proclaims Here shall be my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have a delight herein Psal 132.14 Psal 132.14 And rightly is the Church called our mother first because she is the spouse of our Father betroathed Hos 2.19 Cant. 6.3 Hosea 2.19 coupled and made one Cant. 6.3 I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine and secondly because we are children born of her this teacheth us to honor our mother and like little children to hang at her breasts for our sustenance Suck Isaiah 66.11 and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory It is the Church that brings forth children to God by the ministry of his word and if we are children of this mother we must feed on that milk which flows from her two breasts the Old and New Testament As new born babes saith the Apostle desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 In a word 1 Pet. 2.2 out of the Church there is no salvation who have not the Church their mother cannot have God their Father was the saying of old and good reason for out of the Church there is no means of Salvation no word to teach no sacraments to confirm but all these and all other means are in the womb of the Church it is here and here onely where the spirit of immortal seed begets grace in the heart and so a man is born again This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from heaven Doct. and so the words run Except a man be born from above From above it is that every good perfect gift cometh Aman can receive nothing Iohn 3.27 except it be given him from heaven Joh. 3.27 But how then saith our Savior of the wind to which he compareth every one that is born of the Spirit that we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth I answer Vers 8 this whence respects more the cause then place we know the wind comes from the South or North or East or West but why so and so we cannot tell we
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