PRIMA THE FIRST THINGS In reference to The Middle and Last Things Or The Doctrine of REGENERATION THE NEW BIRTH The very beginning of a godly life Delivered by ISAAC AMBROSE Minister of the Gospel at PRESTON in Amounderness in Lancashire 1 COR. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become new LONDON Printed by J.F. for I.A. and are to be sold by Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard MDCL To the Worshipful The MAYOR ALDERMEN And other INHABITANTS IN The Town of Preston in Amounderness THe Apostle Peter knowing as he saith that shortly he was to put off that his tabernacle of the flesh 2 Pet. 1.14 15 as our Lord Jesus Christ had shewed him he therefore endeavored that Gods people after his decease might have those things he taught them always in remembrance And thus it came to pass that to this day we have that portion of holy Writ which he then left in writing If Peters practice be imitable in this kinde I suppose the same duty lies on * Si M. T. Ciceroni tanta fuit cura de sua republica ut scripsit in lib. de Amicitia Mihi autem non minori curae est qualis resp post mortem meam futura sit quà m qualis hodie est Multò magis incumbat mihi cura de animarum salute ut benè cedat illis postquam ego è vivis exiero aeque ut jam ante obitum meum me Revelation I have none but many stitches and infirmities which I take to be fore-runners of my departure hence Some things and amongst the rest these First Things I have taught you what remains now but that after my decease you might have these things always in remembrance To that purpose the same I delivered once to your ears I now present to your eyes as you were then pleased to hear them so I trust you will now peruse them Onely one thing you may please to observe through this Treatise That whereas in the Name of Christ I often Beseech Exhort Command the unregenerate to believe to be reconciled to God to pray to fall on this or that duty it is not as if they could do any thing of their own strength or power but because Jesus Christ in Exhorting Entreating Commanding puts forth his own power and his own strength to enable them While Paul exhorted the Goaler to believe in the Lord Jesus that he might be saved God enabled the Goalor to believe Life and power is conveyed to the soul in Gospel-Commands and Exhortations While Ezekiel prophesied over dead bones breath came into them and they lived so while the Prophets of the Lord do preach over sinful impenitent hearers who are like to the Prophets dry bones the breath of Heaven the Spirit of the Most High in the Ministery of the Gospel enters into them and so they are made new creatures and see the Kingdom of God I have no more to say onely I beseech God you may receive a Blessing by these poor labors upon your poor souls it is the hearty Prayer of Yours to be commanded in all Christian Services Isaac Ambrose To his worthily much esteemed Friend Mr. Isaac Ambrose SIR I Have perused your hearty Travel in this happy Birth and therein I dare say as your industry and skill so your interest and birthright your Labor either way This subject could not be so well handled if not felt he must himself be subject as well as Author that doth it so well No man can be here Eloquent unless Experient Propriety of Title can onely here give Propriety of Language How like the motion the language of a Puppet in a Play is the best Pulpit-Pageant in this Theame of the uninteressed man My Prayer is that of the Apostle That all of us Ministers may be herein able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1.4 by the same comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God And what comfort like this that makes us with the woman Iohn 16.21 forget all our sorrows for joy that the childe is born What is it otherwise to be born to learn if we learn not thus to be born Eccles. 7.11 Wisdom saith Solomon is good with an Inheritance how good is this wisdom then that by this New Birth not onely preserves but intitles to that Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Wherein that this your birth of that Birth may be to many Generations fruitful is the Prayer of Your true Friend CHARLES HERLE THE CONTENTS of PRIMA OR The First Things THe necessity of Regeneration Page 2 The generality and subject of Regeneration Page 7 The maner of Regeneration Page 22 The issue and effects of Regeneration Page 42 An Appendix containing a more particular method of Regeneration Wherein Chap. 1. THe occasion and method of this Treatise Pag. 49. Chap. 2. Sect. 1. The first means to get into the New Birth 50 Sect. 2 c. Sins against the first Commandment to the last 51 Chap. 3. The second means to get into the New Birth 59 Chap. 4. Sect. 1. The third means to get into the New Birth 60 Sect. 2 c. The first second and third reason for sorrow 61 Chap. 5. Sect. 1. The means to be delivered out of the pangs of the New Birth 63 Sect. 2. The Promises procuring a sight of Christ 64 Sect. 3. The Promises procuring a desire after Christ 65 Sect. 4. The Promises procuring a relying on Christ 66 Sect. 5. The Promises procuring obedience to Christ 67 Sect. 6. The Promises procuring comfort in Christ 68 Sect. 7. The means to apply the said Promises 70 Sect. 8. The Conclusion 71 To the Reverend AUTHOR on his learned TREATISES Intituled Prima Media Vltima THE First Middle and Last Things THe First and Last and Middle Things What more Thus the well-furnish'd Scribe out of his store Brings new and old The First Things lay the Ground The Middle Build thereon By th' Last All 's crown'd By the First Things Christians begin to live The Middle Things a further progress give In Spiritual life by th' Last they live for ever Those things that God hath joyn'd let no man sever The First Things wrought in me Lord let me finde And to the Middle so direct my minde That when the First and Middle Things are past I may enjoy my hopes The Best at Last T.W. The new Birth JOH 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God WE read in the former Chapter John 2.23 Ioh. 2.23 Nicodemus ex his erat qui crediderant in nomine ejus videntes signa prodigia quae faciobat Aug. Tract in Ioan. Ioh. 7.48 When Jesus was at Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did Amongst those many here is one of them saith St. Austin what one of
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
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.
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
whence cometh mine help Again the ear Psal 121.1 Psal 58.5 that in the old man is stopped against the voyce of the Charmer charm he never so wisely or if it be open like Deaths Porter it lets in sin and Satan at every occasion in the new man it must be the gate of life or the door of faith therefore there is not a member that the devil more envieth than the ear as we see in the man possessed with a deaf Devil Mark 9.25 Mar 9.25 who possessed that sence as the most excellent to hinder him from hearing Again the tongue Iam. 3.6 that in the old man is a world of iniquity that defileth the whole body that setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire on hell Psal 45.1 in the new man it must be the trumpet of divine praise or as David calls it the pen of a ready writer uttering onely those things which the heart enditeth in sincerity and truth To sum up all in one the heart is it where grace begins first and is felt last and therefore saith God Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 Psal 51.10 Prov. 23.26 and therefore prays David Create in me a new heart Psal 51.10 and therefore wills Solomon Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4.23 Would any man that is regenerate encounter sin in his heart it were impossible to break out into action would the heart of any man that is born again but meet sin with this Dilemma If I commit this sin I must either repent or not repent for it if I do repent it will cost me more heart-break and spiritual smart then the sensual pleasure can be worth If I never repent it will be the death and damnation of my soul sure this thought conceived and rightly followed in the heart of the regenerate would be enough to crush sin at the first rising of it and so it is for if he be regenerate he doth not sin whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Ioh. 3.9 Consuetudinaliter delectabiliter serviliter illuctabiliter 1 Thess 5.23 Rom. 12.1 1 Joh. 3.9 He is moulded anew and all the members of his body are conformed to the soveraignty and rule of grace yea his body is preserved blameless holy acceptable unto God it is a member of Christ the temple of the Holy Ghost Happy man that is blest with this body Sure a man thus born again he shall see the kingdom of God Secondly as the body so the soul of this man is to be renewed by grace 1 Cor. 6.15 19. 1 Cor. 6.20 Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 6.20 the body and the spirit must both glorifie God and as all the parts of the body so all the powers of the soul First Ephes 4.18 the understanding that in the old man is blinde and ignorant about heavenly things or howsoever it may know many things Revel 3.18 yet never can attain to saving knowledge in the new man it must be anointed with the eye-salve of the Spirit inspired with the knowledge of Divine truths especially with those sacred and saving mysteries which concern the kingdom of God Again the will that in the old man affects nothing but vile and vain things is froward and perverse in the ways of godliness Rom. 12.2 in the new man it must prove and approve what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God yea it must attend and be subordinate to the grace of God Phil. 5.13 sith God indeed and God onely works in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 Again the memory that in the old man is slippery in the things of God or if naturally good yet not spiritually useful in the new man it must be sanctified to good performances and although it cannot encrease to a greater natural perfection for grace doth not this yet the perfections it hath must be straight and right and guided to God-ward Remember the Lord thy God saith Moses Deut. 8.18 Again Deut. 8.18 the conscience that in the old man sleeps and slumbers or if it be awake tears and roars as if a legion of Devils now possessed it in the new man it must be calm and quiet and yet not sleep or slumber but rather in a friendly loving maner check and control wheresoever sin is yea never be quiet till with kinde and yet earnest expostulations it draw the sinner before God to confess his fault and to seek pardon for it Again the affections that in the old man are sensual inordinate bewitched and set on wrong objects in the new man they must be turned another way Mary Magdalene you know was given to unclean lusts but the Lord diverted this sinful passion and so she became penitent and thirsted after grace To sum up all all must be renewed the undestanding will memory conscience affections But to feel more of their sweetness I will pound these spices and dwell a while on them Now then for your better acquaintance with the regenerate man and that you may know his difference from the man unregenerate observe I pray these passages First I say Col. 3.10 in the new man the understanding must be renewed so the Apostle The new man is renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 and this knowledge implyes two habits Col. 1.9 Sapientiam Prudentiam Wisdom and Prudence Col. 1.9 First Wisdom and that is speculative Secondly Prudence and that is practical By the one the childe of God having the eyes of his minde opened and illightned doth see the mysteries of salvation the secrets of the Kingdom the whole Councel and the wonders of the Law of God by the other he is enabled with a judicious sincerity to deliberate and determine in cases of conscience in the practice of piety and the experimental passages of a Christian man Sapientiam If we consider the first Wisdom how is it possible that a man unregenerate should know the mysteries of salvation It may be he may go as far as the power of natural discourse and light of Reason can bear sway he may be furnished with store of rare and excellent learning and yet for all this want the true knowledge of spiritual wisdom Why so Because all his knowledge like the light of the Moon is discharged upon others but never returns and reflects upon his own soul he should know but knows not the darkness of his own understanding the disorder of his own affections the slumber of his own conscience the deadness of his own heart but the man regenerate know he never so little he hath the saving-knowlâ—dge and in this he exceeds the greatest Rabbies the profoundest Clerks he onely knows God with a stedfast apprehension he onely knows himself a most mean base and contemptible thing his new birth hath learned him how
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