as should be saved Act. 4 last Thus you see that God himselfe is the Authour and cause of our new Birth it is the proper and peculiar worke of God to beget voluntariè nos genuit of his will he begâ—te us And yet you may please to observe that as this act of regeneration is attributed to God the Father as it is in this place So sometimes it is attributed to God the Sonne as Esai 53. 10. Beleevers are called his seed that he might see his seed he made his soule a sacrifice for sinne Sometimes to the spirit of God as in Jo. 3 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flâ—sh and the winde bloweth it so is every one that is borne of the spirit It is God the Fathers will he begets us of his will Christ the Sonnes merit Gal. 4 4. When the fulnesse c. to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of the Sonne God the Holy Ghosts efficacy and power by the Spirit of Gods sanctifying and over-shadowing the Soule the new Man is quickned and made sometimes it is attributed to all the three persons in Trinity together as in that notable place Tit. 3 7. By his mercy he saved us by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he abundantly shed in our hearts through Christ Jesus There we have the three persons together in two verses and here all the cause of our regeneration in one a parallel whereunto you shâ—ll hardly finde in the whole New Testament But God as I said he is the principall author and cause His Ministers but instrumentall yet as his Ministers they are and may very well be called Fathers And this near relation should warme the hearts of Ministers with an indulgent and paternall care and affection to beare great good will towards them and as Moses is commanded to carry them in his bosome And as Aaron when he went up to pray or to sacrifice he went up with the names of the twelve Tribes written upon his breast plate So the Ministers of the New Testament the Pastors of Christs Church according to that Typâ— ought to put up in all his devotion the prayers and supplications the wants of his people with his owne As Saint Paul calls his people his Epistle written in his hâ—art so shall the people be in their Pastours Aâ— S. Pauls â—â—â—â—ts desire and prayer to Israel waâ— c. Indeed the New Testament is nothing else but Jesus Christs Letter and Epistle writ from Heaven unto his Church the mind of God expressed to Man by Christ who sitâ— at the right hand of the Father making those Prayers and Petitions of ours which are imperfect in themselves to be more perfect by his mediation And as these instruments of Regeneration are called Fathers both in the Old Testament My Father my Father c. cryes Elisha to Elias Jehoram to him a wicked man yet hâ—s had more grace than some have now to call the Prophet his Father Worse names now must be digested So Saint Paul calls them Nurses or Mothers too 1 Thes 2. 7. There he putâ— upon himselfe the indulgence of a Mother as afterward the affection of a Father vâ—r 11. shâ—wing that as he did not occasionally forget to use the gravity of a Father in his exhortations and instructions so other whiles he puts upon him the meeknessâ— and softnesse and tendernessâ— of a Mother or of an affectionate Nurse Mothers and Nurses having a sympathy and fellow-feeling of their Childrens estates the Mother knowing by naturall instinct when the child is sick and diseased when it is distempered and pained and will accordingly apply her selfe to give it ease and not alwayes give it its humour nor what it cryes for So Gods Ministers should be willing to free their people from distemper and disorder from thâ— corruption and error of the times feeding them with wholsome and sound doctrine with the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby not with fancies and humours and their owne inventions and imaginations for with griefe be it spoken we are falne from the worshipping of Images to the worshipping of Imaginations which as it breeds sicknesses in young children to let them eaâ—â— what they will so it breeds factions and divisions and â—xtreame distemperatures in States when they are suffered to bâ— carryed about with every wind of doctrine and every windy doctrine as the Israeliâ—es by Aarons permission and sufferance worshipped the Cllfe of their owne making And it teacheth the people againe since they stand in so nâ—â—r a relation to their Ministers as Children to Parents to carry a filiall and dutifull affâ—ction towards their Pastours as they carry a loving carefull and paternall heart and eye towards them and their good The want of which reciprocall loving kindnesse and affection when Father and Children Mâ—nister and People Master and Servant have had a greater desire to have their humours fed than their soules edified have not onely caused great râ—nts and divâ—sions which with Râ—â—bens caused great grâ—efe and sorrow of heart but I dare say hath grâ—â—ved the blessed and holy Spirit of God the sole worker of our Regeneration and by whom we are sealed unto the day of Redemption the Spirit of God witnessing to our spirits that we are the sons of God Rom. 8. Thirdly this calls upon the great Fathers of the Common-wealth who are called Gods being next to him and Patres Patriae thâ— Fathers of this Country nay of the Common-wealth and State to see with what meat their Children their Subjects are fed for as I said they are Pastours and Fathers too Isaiah calls them Nursing fathers and Nursing mothers and prophesies that in the great Reformation Kings should be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers That is God would raise up the great Potentates and Princes of the â—arth to provide that the people should be fed with wholsome food that living waters should flow abundantly from the threshold of the Sanctuary and that all people should know the Lord from the greatest to the least Hence it followes necessarily that the Supreame Magistrate â—e seasoned with Religion and what a sweet perfume followes such Princes see in the â—xamples of Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Josiah Hâ—zâ—kiah c. and not irreligious or Popishly affected but soundly and firmly grounded for which we may blesse God that he be a sincere worshipper and server of God the feare of God being the beginning of wisdome and a man being never truly intelligent untill he be obedient The best Plot is to save a soule For if that be true which they say in nature is true and certaine That what disease or infection the Nurse hath the sucking child will partake of and as the Parent is affected so for the most part is the Childs inclination and disposition Surely and without all question it will fare so in this If God please to give us a Magistrate which is godly and
the creature can be without sorrow and pain No death without dolour no incision or cutting of the flesh without sharp bitter or grievous dolours So cannot the heart be circumcised our regeneration or new birth effected without much grief and anguish of spirit You know that the Babe that hath lien but nine moneths in the Mothers womb cannot be born without sharp pain doth any Christian think to be rid of his sin in which he was conceived and born which also hath conceived and bred in him and which he hath nourished and fostered many years in his bowels without great dolor and sorrows No no but as Pharoah then burdened and tâ—xed the Israelites soarest when they were near their deliverance out of his bondage And as the dumb Devil then vexed and tore the young man most when our Saviour was ready to cast him out So Sathan alwaies troubles the Godly most uncessantly and grievously when their deliverance from his bondage is nearest and as St. John saith Hath greatest wrath because he knows his time is but short Which doctrinal Observation hath a threefold Application 1. It may comfort the dear children of God when they feel such inward pains and dolours and assure them they are but the sanctified troubles of conscience and the pangs of their New Birth and therefore not to faint or be discouraged though they feel them in a plentifull manner And if man never feele these sorrows nor are acquainted with this bitterness of spirit with this contrite heart with these wrestlings and fightings If the New man and Old the Flesh and Spirit never make a mutiny nor are together by the ears in the members If they find not the law of the members rebelling against the law of the mind for they be these inward Civil Wars which make the best Reformation surely the Enemy possesses all all being in pâ—ace alwayes and such may fear they are not yet in the state of Regeneration Fortier est qui se c. And though feares and faintings diffidences and doubtings these inward terrours and sorrows be found and felt in a plentifull manner the heart is not to bee cast down nor the spirit to be disquieted although disquieted for as I said these pains and pinchings and contractions of heart are but the pangs and throws of the New Birth these tears and gemitus columbini Dove-like chatterings are sure evidences of a supernaturall conception for Sathans closest and hottest and fiercest siege is ever laid to the Castle of the most rich and precious soules Secondly It is a note of Instruction to such as think the worke of their conversion to bee an easie work or such a work as may be effected with peace and pleasure whereas that sin that was contracted with peace and pleasure must ever be dissolved with pain Conversion is called the difficult work of Faith and the duty of Christianity a working out of our salvation with fear and trembling and fear hath pain a very hard and difficult work it is For there must be a cutting off the right hand and a pulling out the right eye casting away those sins and pleasures which are most dear and near unto us Hâ—re must be leaving and forsaking Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters Lands and Livings renounâ—ing all dearest and nearest relations abandoning all couâ—ses which have been pleasurable and profitable to us and cleaving close to Christ and his Faith and Truth according to St. Hieroms stout and Christian resolution If my Mother that bare mee hung about my neck weeping and wiâ—ling if my Brethren stood about me beseeching me to continue in my wicked course of life I would cast my Mother to the ground I would tread and trample upon my brethren to serve my Lord and Master I would leave and contemn all to enjoy him For he that loveth Father and Mother more than me is not worthy of me Thirdly it is a note of confutation and reproof to them who think they can by their own power and strength induce or incline their hearts to grace and goodness We cannot reform our selves Indeed easily enough God knows we did and do deform our selves but none but God can reform us It is Gods onely proper and peculiar work to regenerate and reform By him we are renewed into our first image Nonâ— can change the heart but he that made the heart none but the hand that made us can mend us It is Gods work and it is marvellous in our â—yes or should be so It is he that brings to the birth and gives strength to bring forth For Shall I cause others to bear saith God and my self remain barren No I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh c. Iâ— is God that worketh in us to will and to doâ— of his good pleasure It is he that doth create in us new hearts and renews right spirits within us Dabo illis cor novum I will give them a new heart and spirit and cause them to walk in my statutes It is not in the power of man to adde one cubit to his spiritual stature to make a hair white which is black Far less can he change his heart to make that clean which is foul holy which is unholy and naturally the sink of sin and all uncleanness It is from God we become his Sonnes He sends his spirit into our hearts his spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. But Adoption is where there is no gâ—niture or begetting that doth filium facerâ— not gignâ—râ— It makes a son it begets none it is not after likeness but liking it is not of nativity but nuncupation Adoption that is Gods acceptation of sons Generation is the impression of the Image God in those sons adopted Now Generation is twofold according to Nature and according to Grace According to Nature and so Christ alone is the natural begotten Son of God According to Grace and so every man is his son Obedience to Gods Commandements conformity to his will be apparent Testimonies of our Sonshâ—p To as many as bâ—leâ—vâ— his word to them he giveth power to be the Sons of God From that that hath been spoken arise two general propositions to be spoken of out of the first cause of Regeneration 1. That the state of a Christian is a new Genâ—niture and Birth 2. That God himself is the author and cause of this Birth 1. That the state of a Christian is a new Geniture and birth Whosoever is in Christ is a new or another creature Poets feign of Baccbus that he was the son of Semele and the son of Jupiter of Semele an earthly Woman and of Jupiter a God And Plautus writes of Hercules that he was the son of Amphitruo and so mortal and the son of Jupiter and so immortal What was but feigned in them is true in us In every Regenerate man there are two men The first is from the earth earthly as St. Paul speaks
feelingly confess it that I have been over-spread with corruption ever siâ—ce I saw the light Nay which is more no sooner was the substances whereof I was framed and made warm in my Mothers womb but I was stained and tainted with originall corruption Therefore vâ—ry necessary and needfull is a new and another Birth to cover the stains and pollutions of the first of the old A second birth to sanctâ—fie our first a birth from above to make holy our naturall birth Regeneration to bless our Generation as necessary and needfull as light is unto darkness as heaven to the immunity and freedom from hell as reparation to a ruinous and rotten building as the soul to give life unto the body Nay so necessary and needfull that without it we cannot see the Kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto you that I had two births my self one by an eternall Joh. 3. 3. generation which no man can declare Another in the fulness of time being made of a woman c. You must have two births too Gal. 4. 4. one from Heaven or your earthly and carnall birth can doe you no good The Italians have a prudent proverb it is good to be bornâ— wise or twice wise no man can be borne Neâ—â— nascitur summus or sanctus No man is borne a Saint but made so virtus non est ex traduce goodnesse is not by generation it must be therefore by regeneration Better a thousand times not be borne at all than not borne againe we shall very bitterly curse the day of our first Birth if we have not a second Many solemnize keep festival their Birth-day which they have little reason to doe if they looke upon their Birth-sinne If their naturall condition be considered they have little cause to rejoyce or be merry upon their Birth-day it calls rather to Lamentation or Teares The new borne Babe seems to cry down that joy and exaltation who comes crying into a troublâ—somâ— Aust world Nâ—ndum nascitur sed prophâ—tat It is the day and blessed time of our New Birth wherein we should rejoyce and be glad which we should keep holy to the Lord wherein as in our Baptisme the Laver and Seale and Signe of regeneration as in our earthly Registers our names are written in the book of life wherein we are borne to live for ever whereas in our Birth we are damnati antequam nati damned before we be borne being filii terrae we are filii irae we must therefore be renati if we would not be damnati renewed and converted if we will not be condemned Doct. From which consideration take this observation and comfortable Doctrine He that is borne twice shall dye but once but he that is but once borne shall dye twice The second Birth shall free us from the second Death the first and none but that shall make us liable both to the first and to the second death But what doe I say that the regenerate person the Beleever shall dye no he shall not dye at all Quicunque sermones mâ—â—s custodiverint c. Whosoever keeps my sayings he shall not taste he shall not see death Death may buz and keepe a noise about his eares like an angry Wasp but he hath lost his sting the sting was left in Christ Jesus body he doth victoriously triumph over it O Death where is thy sting O Grave c. He may exult and rejoyce over Death O Death my Saviour hath been thy death and thâ—u canst not be mine My Saviour dyed for me I cannot dye by thee Christ hath killed thee and thou canst not kill me if kill me not hurt me I have made my peace with my Judge and I feare not the Baily my Redeemer hath made my peace with my God and being justified by Faith I have my Quiâ—tus est I have peace with God and therefore neither Death nor Hell nor he that hath the power of both can hurt me and therefore to every regenerate person I may pronounce that blessing which Saint John doth to them that have part in the first resurrection which is nothing else but regeneration Blessed and Rev. 20 6. holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power but they shall be as Kings and Priests unto God Of this supernaturall and Heavenly Bâ—rth doth this birth treat and of all the 4. causes thereof 1. The Formall 2. The Efficient 3. The Instrumentall and 4. the Final cause 1. The formal cause that is God progenuit Dâ—â—â— God begets us 2. The Efficient that is his will he begets us of his will for why he saves one and not another why he softens this wax upon which he will instampâ— his Image and why he hardens that clay which he will cast away there is no reason can be given hereof but the good pleasure of his will Rom. 9. 18. He will have mercy c. 3. The Instrumentall cause is verbum veritatis the word of truth called so for 4. Reasons 1. Because it hath God the God of Truth for its Author 2. Because it hath Christ the Truth it selfe for its Witnesse 3. Because it hath the Spirit of Truth for its composer and 4. Because it teacheth all truth and leads into all truth I will pray to the Father and he shall send the spirit of truth which shall lead or guide you into all truth This word of Truth is the seed of our New Birth By the grace of God saith Paul I have begotten you by the Gospell where you have againe the instrument the meanes and the Author the Instrument I Paul for though you have ten thousand instructors I am your Father in Christ â— The meanes the Gospel or Word the Author Christ Jesus whose word it is and who himselfe is the supreame worke in our regeneration Then fourthly here is the finall cause why we are regenerate and borne againe to bâ— holy and sanctified to be as the first fruits of his Creatures i. e. that as amongst the Jews in the Law the first fruits were consecrate and set apart for God so regenerate persons and believers amongst and above all others are sequestred and set apart for the services and purposes of God and this end and effect of Regeneration shews the Honour and Dignity the priviledge and prerogatives of the sonnes of God as you shall here anon otherwise as in other Births so in this you may please to observe 4. things more 1. Partus 2. Vterus 3. Semen And 4. Fructus The Birth the Womb the Seed and the Fruit. 1. Partus The Birth and that is a holy Birth progâ—nuit Deus God begets us The Spirit of the Almighty over-shadowing the Soul as it did the Body of the Virgin Mary sanctifies it and begets a new Creature for as Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost so must every Christian be 2. Vterus The Womb and that is
of hearing and hearkning all blessings are promised If thou wilt hearken unto my Commandments all these benefits or blessings shall overtake thee And when God had sent his Son whom he promised long before to send the great Doctor and Preacher of his Church All the entertainment and receit of him all the reverence and respect called for is but audience ipsum audite Hear him Hear my beloved sons and it will make you sons dearly beloved Mat. 17. Hear then and your souls shall live If the Prophet should bid thee do some great matter saies Naamans servant to his Master wouldest thou not do it to be cleansed of thy Leprosie muchless when he bids thee but wash and be clean when he went away in a puff and snuf as too many do from the saving word So if God should command us and we his poor Ministers beseech you in his name to do some greater matters then wee do would you not do them to save your precious souls muchlesse would we hear and be happy Hear and our souls shall live hear him here whom we desire to see hereafter Beloved auditus est gradus ad visum Hearing is a degree to seeing if we will not hear God we shall never see him and therefore as John the Divine exhorts like a Divine so do I but in his words He that hath an ear let him hear and he that will not hear what the Church saith let him be anathema accursed Indeed omnis habent aures audiendi pauci obediendi All have ears to hear with but few to obey with ears of attention with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth or like David I will hear what the Lord will say unto me or with Mary who sate at Christ's feet to hear his Preaching or like the Spouse in the Canticles Hark it is the voice of well-beloved We see in my Text what an honour and dignity God hath put upon his word to beget us to himself of his own will he begets us with the word of truth and shall not we willingly give it the hearing The Apostle in the next verse makes the only use and application of the Doctrin and lesson here taught Since the word of truth is the seed of our new birth therefore let every man be swift to hear of a tractable docible and meek spirit ready to wait upon God in his Ordinances and to receive with meeknesse the ingraâ—fed word which being so received is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. Again God takes not the tongue out of our heads but he takes away the sin and iniquity of the tongue within a man unregenerate is a world of wickednesse as St. James saith The world is not fuller of wickednesse than the tongue of sin if unreformed he takes away therefore in our regeneration and puls out the venom and sting and violence of the tongue which is indeed a small member but doth great mischief blasphemies oaths railings revilings curses imprecations lies perjuries dissimulation all corrupt communication filthy and froathy speeches which are not once to be named amongst Saints And as the holy Ghost when he came down upon the Apostles they spake with new tongues as the spirit gave them utterance So whom the holy spirit sanctifies and regenerates it gives a new and another language and though it gives them no new tongues yet it gives the tongues they have a new dialect their tongues are touched with a coal from Gods Altar neither have the gift given them of praising God and speaking well of their neighbour As the regenerate person will not listen to false tales or tale-bearers which are flabellum Diaboli flagellum justi the Devils Bellows and the Saints scourges for the tongue kils more then the sword the sword of the mouth more then the mouth of the sword as he will not receive a false report against his neighbour as David speaks and makes one of the ten notes of a righteous man of a Citizen of heaven So he will not rashly nor hastily judge him before he know him or hear him speak knowing that he that carries a false report and he that receives and believes it the one carries the Devil in his tongue the other in his ears And therefore they which are born from above will set a watch before their mouthes and guide the dore of their lips as the Kingly Prophet saith They will take heed to their waies that they offend not in their tongue and they will utterly purpose that their mouth shall not offend They will therefore open their mouthes with wisdom and guide their words with discretion as Solomon speaks of the good house-wife as she will keep her self so she will keep her words at home within her own dores The tongue indeed hath a double hedge teeth and lips to shew it should not easily or commonly straggle or wander or run over The law of grace as Paul saith will be in the lips of the righteous his mouth will shew forth Gods praise 'T is worth noting that David will take heed to his waies that he offend not in his tongue intimating that the safety and security of a mans waies of his whole life and conversation consists much in the government of his tongue Quâ— facile violat quae facile volat as easily sins as moves and it moves often too easily no arrow or bullet out of a gun or bow wounds more speedily or quickly or pierceth more deeply or deadly then a tongue primed with the powder and set on fire with the fire of hell And therefore James tels us that he is a perfect man that is in a great part regenerate that can rule it for it is the opinion of a Father That half the sins committed in the world are committed through the licentiousnesse and unrulines of the tongue Quâ—tidiana fornax is humana lingua The tongue of evil men is a continual Fornace wherein the names of righteous men are tryed And therefore to end this point The government of the tongue is an infallible note and evidence of some progresse and perfection in grace But a regenerate heart and a wicked tongue a sanctified heart and a virulent venomous blasphemous tongue never go together For if the spring or fountain the heart be clear and pure needs must the streams be so for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks When Socrates would know the disposition and condition of one that came to be his Schollar he bid him speak that all might know him Sermo virum indicat the speech shews the man it is animi index the interpreter of the mind We may easily know what is in the heart by that which comes out of the mouth He is of Galilee saith the girl of Peter for his speech bewrayeth him A man is easily discerned by his language what Countreyman he is of Canaan or Ashdod Certainly beloved a stinking and strong breath doth not more evidently declare ill lungs and corrupt inwards
praemium Humility is the desert of glory glory the reward of humility si vis capere celsitudinem Dei prius cape humilitatem Dei In a word when every sin doth return as he is commanded from his evil way doth cease to do evil and learn to do good when in a holy anger and indignation that they have been the servants of sinn so long they cast off their old Livery of sin as blind Bartemeus cast off his old Cloak and with Ephraim smite upon their thigh asking and enquiring what have we done wretch as I am I am in way to be undone when he smites upon his breast with the Publican his breast the ark and chest of all iniquity and in faith and feeling cries out Lord be mercifull to me a sinner when weary of his sinfull course he doth resolve with the prodigal to leave it and return home to his Fathers with words of unfeigned sorrow and contrition I will go to my Father a happy thing we have a Father to go to and such a father tampater nemo When with Eliphas in Job a man seriously resolves and resolvedly purposes If I have done wickedly I will do no more which was the caveat Christ gave to them he healed considering that Inanis est paenitentia quam sequens culpa coinquinat That true repentance is not only a repentance for sin but a repentance from sin as the Apostle cals it Repentance from dead works then is this great work wrought this man is a new creature 2. To assure our selves that we are regenerate and born of God observe farther that as Elizabeth John the Baptists mother did assure herself that she was with childe when she felt the babe to leap and spring in her womb So when we find our wils conformable to Gods will when it is our meat and drink to do our heavenly Fathers will when we are ready to answer to the call of every heavenly motion as the eccho to the voice of man and answer with Samuel Speak Lord thy servant heareth With David It is written I should do thy will I am content to do it O my God thy Law is in my heart When the word of God is to us as it was to him our longing and our love this is a sure evidence of our new birth for where there is a new birth there will be a new life where there is a spiritual and heavenly birth there will be a spiritual and heavenly life if we be born of God we will with Enoch walk with God and will be followers of God as dear children The natural child they say lives not untill forty five daies after the conception be expired but the regenerate and new-born Christian begins to live assoon as he is conceived there will no longer be a life led after the will of the flesh or of our own lusts but after the will of God and the will of God is our holiness He that is born from above will resolve to spend the remainder of his short time to the honour of him that died for him and it will appear whose heeis by a life led in holiness and righteousness in faith and a good conscience he will walk worthy of the calling whereunto he is called and will say with David when he was moved to some undecent and uncivil action Is it nothing to be son in Law to a King If we be the sons of God our carriage and conversation will be according Our light will so shine before men c. Mat. 5. 14 God begets to holiness and righteousness and by this heavenly generation we are made partakers of the Divine nature having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are the offspring of God and therefore the life led after our conversion is called the life of God to which the unregenerate are strangers And it is called the life of Christ too now that is after my conversion I live no longer but Christ liveth in me 1 Cor. 4. He that is Gods son will do Gods work and the work of God is constant and universal obedience A second note and evidence of our regeneration is a through change and reformation of heart and life The new man is of a renew'd mind old things will be cast away and all things will become new he will cleanse himself from all wickedness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 1. As first there will be a new light struck up into the mind and understanding they will be illuminated to conceive the things which be of God which the natural man cannot do as the further obduration or occecation and banding of a man is the note and signe of a reprobate when the God of the world blinds the eyes as St. Paul speaks So it is an evident note of one begotten of God of one born from above when he is renewed in knowledg and understanding and knows the mind of Christ Col. 3. 9. 2. Secondly there will be a new quality in the will ready to hearken to the voice of Christ in all things and to obey it He that is born of God heareth Gods word saith the Apostle 3. Thirdly there will be a new conversation in the life and this holy conversation will be manifested by the fruits and effects of the spirit love joy peace long-suffering patience meekness c. characters and stamps of holiness still led in the practice of any reigning sin after the lusts of the flesh is a manifest note of a carnal man but he that is born of God sins not as you shall hear anon sin is in him but it reignes not in him Inest but non praeest or obest it is in him but not over him nor doth he obey it in the lust and power thereof he sins indeed but yet not he but the sin that is in him In his mind he serves the law of God though in his flesh the law of sin it is against his heart and intention his will and purpose Again he liveth not nor lieth in any known sin but his course and indeavour is after the Commandment 4. There will be new affections as the love of God hatred of all sin for it is not enough to leave sin but to loath it and hate it as Ammon when he had satisfied his lust upon his sister Thamar it is said He hated her afterward more then ever he loved her Thus will Gods child deal with sin and desire to purifie himself as God is pure cast off his sin as a menstruous cloth and say Get thee hence 5. There will be constant and holy means used to preserve and improve all these graces to keep alive this heavenly fire is the spirit of prayer and supplication the bellows of the Sanctuary The child of God will speak the language of God Prayer is the Saints language on earth as praise is in heaven An infant is no sooner born into
wont in times past to be the comprimisâ—r and determiner of all Law-suits Let not us fall out for we are brethren saies Abraham to Lot the greater to the lesser What brethren and fall out No it is a good and joyfull thing for brethren to dwell together in unity It was the harlot would have the child divided the true mother would have it live they shew of what house they came of what discent they are who love to live in envy and malice in hatred and division you are of your father the devil saith Christ to the envioâ—â— Jews for his works ye do profess whâ—â—â—â—â—â—y all they have not God for their Father nor the Church of God for their Mother nor Christ for their Saviour who are enemies to peace for as I said True belieâ—â—â— are of one heart and of one mind of one soul Give me leave to give you a strong pathetical and effectual motive to love and peace the character of Gods children God is the God of peace Christ Jesus is the Prince of peace the holy Ghost is the Spirit of peace the Gospel is the Gospel of peace your calling in general is a calling of peace ye are called to peace Ours who are the poor despised Ministers of Christ is a calling and commission of peace and we are commanded nay charged into what house soever we come to preach and pray for peace to that house how well and faithfully some have done their errand let the world judge When Christ came into the world he brought it there was peace over all the world the Temple of Janus was shut and wars were ceased at every gate and the blessed Angels of heaven sang at his birth and nativity Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men and therefore surely there is heavenly musick in it David saith God will give unto his people the blessing of peace So that peace is a blessing nay the blessing of blessings the sugar and sweetning of all blessings for nothing is a blessing without it what are our sweetest comforts our dearest and nearest relations our riches honour magnificence or any worldly accommodations if not enjoyed in peace It was therefore prophesied in Esay That when Christ should be born Christ the Prince of Peace the peacemaker that men should break their Swords into Ploughshares and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks that is there should be unity and peace in the world all animosities and hostilities should be laid aside and so they are where Christ is born in us Nay even the Souldier with a sword in one hand and fire in the other he cries and speaks aloud Sic quaerimus pacem Thus we look for and seek for peace peace being the end of war when Christ lived in the world he taught it Beati pacifici Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another And if a man smite thee upon one cheek c. And if he take away thy Cloak c. When Christ went out of the world he made peace his Legacy Peace I give you my peace I leave unto you and when he rose again he made it his salutation He came in unto them the dores being shut and said Peace be unto you and when he had so spoken he shewed them his hands and his side as if he had said see here my dear friends how dear your peace cost me even these wounds in my hands and side ne rumpatis eam break not that so easily which cost me so dear upon every poor and slight occasion or for the love of every base sin or pleasure make not me to bleed again Enough I think to coole the fiery spirits If this will not serve to take the sting of envy and malice out of the minds of many but still like Salamanders they will live in the fire and heat of contention I will send such down to the place of utter confusion for an argument of peace and they shall hear even the Devil himself pleading hard for that which he continually breaks Mat. 8. 30. What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to torment or trouble us before the time They that trouble all the world you see would not be troubled themselves Enough to cool the fiery spirits of such as make division their musick and love to fish in troubled waters nay that firâ—t trouble the waters themselvs and then complain of the Lamb that comes to drink of them let me send such to meditate upon that speech of Christ That Belzebub is not divided against Belzebub if he were his kingdom could not stand That seven devils agreed in Mary Magdalen a legion in another whereas with grief be it spoken three scarce agree with us in a Family or ten in a Parish But were our State and Commonwealth as strong as the kingdom of Satan division and contention if continued must needs bring it to desolation and ruine As Joseph therefore when he sent his brethren home to their father gave them this godly advice Fall not out by the way the same I exhort and beseech in the bowels of our blessed peace-maker looking all towards Jerusalem let not Babylon have our hearts let us go on in love and peace and the God of love and peace will be with us O let not division of hearts hinder the building of Christianity as division of tongues hindred the building of Babel Filia dissentionis desolatio The daughter of dissention is dissolution yea and desolation The factions and divisions between Simeon Eleazar and Jehochanon foretold and prophesied by Christ and faithfully recorded by Josephus a fellow-sufferer and eye-witness laid the Temple and City and the houses of Jerusalem desolate and not one stone upon another The Temple of Solomon you know who was a Prince of peace and type of Christ was built in peace there was not the sound of an Axe Hammer or any other instrument heard in the erecting of it Indeed it was beaten down with Axes and Hammers as David dolefully complains but it was set up without them The mystical and spiritual sense you easily apprehend The spiritual Temple and house of God in us is or should be built in peace and unity without clamor stirr or noise we should as the Apostle saith edifie one another in love and peace for Si collidimur frangimur If we be broken and unbound we are undone signified by Scelurus faggot a known story Divisum est câ—â—â—orum jam jam interibunt saith the Prophet Their accord is gone their cord is untwisted they cannot stand Iscouedo the Spanish Poet being demanded by his Master Philip the third by what means he might become Master of the Low Countries he gives him this shrewd and subtile councel Divide them amongst themselves according to Machiavels precept to his Caesar Borgia Divide impera make a division and get the Dominion It is observed by many learned men and lameâ—â—ed by more that the unkind
and needless division of Christian Princes amongst themselves have added more Lands and Territories more Dominions and Principalities unto the Turks Empire then their own Sword and Bow As Phrahartes one of Pompey's chief Captains said of Julius Cesar's Conquests Nostra ruina factus est magnus By our ruine he is raised and made great his gain hath been our loss his rise our downfall our breaches and divisions which like Reubens have caused great grief of heart have been his utmost advantage Whilst we wory and fight and sheath our swords in one anothers bowels they say with the Edomites There there so would we have it they sing and laugh with Nero having set Rome on fire When I am dead let all the earth burn And therefore for conclusion of this point in which I have been something earnest and long being very seasonable and needfull to press in the condition we are in let us but advisedly and soberly consider the many mischiefs which factions and divisions have brought into the world and closely lay them to heart and it cannot but warm us with that heavenly fire of love the image of our Father and account it with David who though a fortunate and valiant Warrier yet a man of peace nay altogether for peace a man much vers'd in battel and sing it with him It is a good and joyfull or a pleasant and joyfull thing for brethren to dwell together in unity For our own particular let the men of our famous Nation give me leave to speak to them and put them in mind of their own strength and honour in intimating unto them the memorable words and observations of Henry the fourth the Champion of Christendom Monsieur Roan the Champion and Marshal of France in the beginning of the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory walking in his Gallery with Roan and being in serious discourse of the unity of the Queen with her Subjects of their unanimity and strength of the wealth and strong scituation of the Island which he said was impregnable and unaccessible being walled with a Wall of Brasse he meant invironed and compassed with Seas Roan answered like a prudent observer Angle le terra grand animal The Land of England is a strong and mighty body which can never die except it kill it self And surely they deserve more then one death who willingly and desperately goe about to be their own murthers with Nero to kill and rip up the bowels of their own Mother And to me it seems a mystery indeed the mystery of iniquity is in it that many have and will have order in their own houses and it is the Item and injunction they give to their servants when they hire them this is the order of my house and thus and thus you must doe and obey and yet would have none in the great House the Church and Commonwealth neither Magistrate nor Minister I will say no more to such than the great Apostle hath spoke before me If any man be contentious we have no such custome nor the Church of Christ and that God is the God of order not of confusion And how can he serve God that is the God of love and peace without peace and love His Name is love and his Law is love And therefore to conclude this Character of a Christian and strongly once more to move to unity and peace Take three pathetical and emphatical motives and perswasions from the Doctor of the Gentiles The first is 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech yor brethren by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by which you are named or called that you all speak the same things and that there be no divisions amongst you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and the same judgement Love and unity are the Cement and Glew of Christianity and Religion the unity of the spirit is best kept in the bond of peace The second is Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the spirit any bowels of mercy fulfill my joy and be ye like minded hrving the same love being of one mind and of one accord and let nothing be done in strife or contention for that undoes all God came to Adam in the cool of the day and to Elias not in the thunder or fire or storm or tempest but in the quiet sound 1 Kings 19. 11. And it is worth your noting upon what persons and at what time the holy Ghost came down Acts 2. 1 2. He came down upon the Apostles whilst they were all in supplication and prayer and of one mind in an upper Chamber in Jerusalem The spirit of unity descends upon none but upon such as have unity of spirit Beloved if ever we find an enlargement of spirit or feel the descent of spiritual blessings in an ample and plentifull manner we shall find it to be when we are in unity and unanimity And therefore if we will have a sensible apprehension of the spirits communion and benediction let us in the name of God meet in one Assembly in the same mind of those primitive Christians â—to which we pretend did and be in the same posture and devotion they were Acts 4. 31. Who being of one heart and of one mind the place moved where they met When we hold one of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephas are we not divided and divided prayers are fruitlesse when the River is divided into many streams and currents it cannot carry our Vessels our hearts wanting love and unity and our Altar fire the incense of our prayers cannot ascend 3. Note that place well 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally my brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you and if God be with us and for us we need not care who can be against us God is the God of love and peace and the Godly are peaceable and loving By those characters men shew their heavenly birth their birth from God whose name is Love and whose Law is Love 3. In our first birth Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the generation and begetting of one is the death and corruption of another untill the old man be dead the new man cannot quicken As it was prophesied of Jacob and Esau when they were in their mothers womb that the elder should serve the younger So untill the elder man be brought into subjection to the younger there can be no peace in the members neither is this work wrought 4. In our first some are more easily conceived and brought forth into the world some with much more difficulty and pain with greater sorrows and anguish with many throbs and throws crying and roaring and being pained with the woman in the twelth of the Revelations ready to be delivered Thus it is in our second birth some are more easily converted and turned to God as