THE NEW BIRTH OR A TREATISE OF REGENERATION DELIVERED IN CERTAINE Sermons and now published by WILLIAM WHATELY PREACHER and Minister of Banbury in Oxfordshiere 1. COR. 5.17 If any man be in Christ hee is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man and are to be sold at his shop in Pater-Noster-Row at the signe of the Talbot 1618. THE METHOD OF THE TREATISE The Doctrine concerning the necessity of Regeneration is 1. Propounded and proued by Testimonies of Scripture 2. Confirmed by foure manifest Reasons taken from the 1. Sinfulnesse of Mans corrupt Nature 2. Puritie of Gods Nature 3. Tenour of the Couenant of Grace 4. End of Christs sufferings 3. Explicated 1. By a Description of Regeneration from the Causes Efficient Principall the Holy Ghost Instrumentall the Word of God chiefly preached Materiall Holinesse Formall Infusion Finall Gods glory in the persons saluation Subiect which is the whole Man 2. By a Declaration of the degrees and order of working it which are foure 1. By discouering to a man his naturall sinfulnesse 2. By stirring vp in him a setled desire of pardon and of holinesse 3. By dropping into him the spirit of Prayer inabling him solemnely to beg the two forenamed things at the hand of God 4. By sealing him with the Spirit of Promise which certifying him of acceptance with God imprints in his will a firme purpose of liuing to him hereafter and so he is a new creature 3. By a declaration of the effects that follow which are foure 1. A Spirituall Combate with the Diuell the World and the Flesh where the combate of flesh and spirit is distinguished from the combate of the light of Conscience and the corruption of the will in fiue points 1. In the things that are at variance 2. In the things about which they fight 3. In the motiues inducing them to fight 4. In the weapons by which they fight 5. In the successe of the combate 2. In a good conuersation in both parts of it 1. Leauing all euill Knowne Grosser so as not ordinarily to commit it Lesse grosse so as not to allow excuse defend it Suspected so as to seeke and be willing to know it and to leaue it 2. Doing good For extent Of all sorts Manner Out of conscience to God According to the direction of the Word 3. A knowledge of his owne being regenerate vnlesse in cases of 1. Infancie and new comming on 2. Strong tentations 3. Spirituall sownes of sinne 4. Growth in Grace whereof the Kinds are either in Quantitie Qualitie Manner is though not without diuers it may be long stops as in sicknes yet by recouering out of all 4. A Declaration of the principall graces of the new man in the 1. Chiefe faculties 1. Vnderstanding 1. Knowledge 2. Faith in God The Word of God 2. Conscience 1. Peaceablenesse 2. Wakefulnesse 3. Will 1. Being carried after God 2. Subiection to the will of God 2. The inferiour powers 1. Memorie 2. Imagination 3. Affections 4. Applied by making vses 1. Generall to all to trie themselues 2. Speciall to the Vnregenerate to Terrifie them To exhort them to be regenerate by 1. Desiring and begging for the spirit of regeneration 2. Hiding the Doctrine of the Law and Gospell in their hearts 3. Constant hearing the word of God preached and meditating of it after hearing Regenerate 1. To comfort them in the sight of their happinesse 2. To exhort them to two things 1. To cherish Grace in themselues 1. By auoiding ill company and keeping good 2. By auoiding things sinfull in resisting the first motions 3. By shunning excesse in things indifferent 4. By being constant in religious exercises 2. To propagate it to others which concernes the Flock and euery priuat man that in regard both of All with whom he shall conuerse and that by good Life Conference Especially those of his owne family both them of Age by 1. Worshipping God amongst them 2. Catechising them 3. Bringing them to Church 4. Praying for their regeneration 2. That are infants by bringing them to Baptisme with faithfull and feruent prayer Ministers by constant and plaine preaching of the Word of God to them Maior Aldermen and Burgesses and the rest of the Inhabitants of the Towne and Parish of Banburie the Author dedicateth the following Treatise and wisheth all happines WOrshipfull and welbeloued I haue not long since preached amongst you some things concerning the nature of the New Birth I am glad to vnderstand that in handling of them I gaue to some of you some good content I am willing you see to renew your content by offering the same things now to your eyes that formerly to your eares that the serious and I hope often reading of what you but once heard may instruct you better and ground you further in this necessarie doctrine And Oh that the Lord of Heauen would please so effectually to co-operate with his Word that many of you may become partakers of this happy and sauing worke of grace My greatest couetousnesse is that your soules may be thus inriched my greatest ambition that they may be thus aduanced To this end haue I bent mine endeauours amongst you in the constant imployment of the talent lent me by God which how heartily doe I wish and pray that it may be auaileable for your renouation For in truth the whole world is not worthy to stand in comparison with this life of holines I say it againe All the greatest aduancements profits pleasures which this prick of earth this almost nothing which we tread vpon is able to afford are in no sort to be esteemed desirable if they be laid in the ballance against those heauenly preferments those infinite treasures those vnutterable comforts whereto this estate of grace doth bring those that are brought vnto it euen in this present world in some good measure but most fully in the vpper region of this world the stately pallace of heauen the fairest roome of this large house and the Presence Chamber of the King of Kings Why then is any man especially why is any of you to whom these things haue been frequently deliuered on whom they haue been earnestly pressed on whom they are constantly inculcated why I say is any of you so worse then childish yea then brutish as to be carelesse of seeking that vnspeakable felicity from which nothing can hinder you but your owne slothfull negligence or wilfull carelesnesse in not vouchsafing to seeke it This small Treatise I am now bold to dedicate vnto you both that it may witnesse to your owne consciences and all that reade it that none of you doth want grace for want of meanes to get it either on Christs part the King of your soules or on my part his vnworthy Ambassadour and also that it may be present with you at all times to prouoke you to get that holinesse without which you haue learned that you
this his happie and powerfull working And such is the formall cause of regeneration The finall cause or the end of it is the glorie of God in the saluation of the partie regenerate For to speake truth it were a shame and reproch to the God of heauen to let a sinner that is to say his professed enemie come into heauen for this would vpbraide him with falsehood in regard of his word and with want of holinesse and iustice in his nature Now the Lord cannot be so weake as to doe any thing that should giue him iust cause to speake as of God wee must needes speake after the manner of men of being ashamed thereof Wherefore that he may with glory and honour and praise and the content of his owne most holy nature take thither so many of the corrupted sonnes of Adam as hee pleaseth to make vessels of honour it is his will and care thus to change their nature and to renew them by his spirit and so he obtaineth the fullest fulnesse of glorie that may be in their happinesse being for euer praised by all his holy creatures and which more is infinitly satisfying himselfe in the beholding of the excellencie of that great work of their blessednes and the most pure and holy and admirable meanes that hee hath ordained to bring them vnto it And these are the causes of regeneration The next thing mentioned in the description is the subiect of it which is the whole man in all the powers of the soule and of the body according as the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians 1. Thes 5.23 that they might bee sanctified throughout and that their whole soule and body might be kept blamelesse And by this note it is differenced from all other changes that may carrie any resemblance to it they being all but partiall changes either of the outside alone and not the inside or of some one power alone not of all the powers because indeed they are not fruites of holinesse but either of hollownesse and selfe-loue or at best of a bare and weake worke of illumination And thus haue I performed the first thing intended in describing regeneration of which if any man demaund what it is wee say it is a change that is a bringing of a new and here too of a contrary qualitie in stead of the old that was before if who makes the change the holy Ghost if by what meanes by the word if in what manner by infusion that is by the working of a proper and immediate vertue deriued from himselfe If from what and to what this change is from the sinfulnesse of a man which he receiueth from Adam successiuely to holinesse If wherein in the whole man soule and body and all the powers of both If to what end to the glory of the worker and saluation of him in whom it is wrought O happy worke of an happy workman by an happy instrument and thrice happy that man in whom this blessed worker shall vouchsafe to accomplish this his most worthy and excellent and onely blessed worke to so worthy and blessed a purpose CHAP. IIII. Shewing the order of working Regeneration 2. The order of regenerating in foure acts NOw I proceede to declare in what order the Spirit of God pleaseth to performe this most admirable change which is done in these foure actions which I shall lay downe First the spirit of God working in and with the Law but tempered with the Gospell becomes a spirit of contrition causing a man to see and feele his extreame sinfulnes 1. Shewing a man his naturall sinfulnesse and wretchednes in so much that hee is euen wounded at the very heart therwith and his sinfull and vnhappy estate becomes a wofull bondage captiuitie vnto him The Lord doth not alone raise vp miserable terrors of conscience in him in regard of some one or more grosse offēces that he hath actually committed although often hee maketh these very terrors a meanes of making himselfe a passage to enter in at but hee opens the eyes of the minde to see the very mud and filth of the soule that lay at the bottome before vnseene and vndiscerned The Spirit conuinceth him of sinne It shewes him that generall wickednes and sinfulnes of his nature whereof we spake before Now he feeles his vnbeliefe pride ignorance hypocrisie and other heart-corruptions Hee iudgeth himselfe worthy to be destroyed not alone hauing a sight of his own inability to escape damnation but likewise of the iustice of God in damning him so that hee doth euen stoupe and yeeld himselfe thereto Whereas before hee was aliue without the Law not hauing the true knowledg of it now the Law comming in the sound power and working of it through the strength of the holy Ghost causeth that he becomes dead in his owne sense and apprehension but sinne becomes aliue to his sense and feeling and hee perceiuing the strength force violence and mischieuousnes of it more then euer before now cryes out with the Apostle O miserable man that I am and now confesseth that he is carnall and sold vnder sinne as the same Apostle did in the same sense of his naturall wretchednesse which the comming of the life of grace had brought with it Thus the death of sinne begins to be changed into life in that it is felt and discerned For the very first working of this new life must needs be a feeling of the old death in sinnes and trespasses Not I say alone of his death in hell in regard of his deseruing the torments thereof but of his death in sinnes and trespasses of his vtter inabilitie to do any good thing of his vtter emptines of all heauenly graces of his extreame slauerie to vngodlines and vnrighteousnes and all the lusts of the flesh and of his perpetuall and vehement pronenes to all abomination and wickednes There is often I confesse a work and a very terrible work of the Law the naturall conscience together procuring most extreame and hideously-bitter pangs and hellish agonies in the soule of man where the spirit of regeneration neither is nor euer shall be this being alone a fruite of the spirit of bondage not of the spirit of grace And oftentimes againe the spirit of sanctification comes into the soule together with this spirit of bondage making a violent entrie and by maine force breaking open the heart formerly locked and barred against it and so beginning this sauing worke of holinesse But terrors of conscience which may be in all vnregenerate men because they are already in all the damned into whom no part nor peece of regeneration can enter is farre different from this first degree of the worke of a new birth The sanctifying spirit laies the filthinesse not alone the danger of sinne before the eyes of the mind It causeth a man not alone to be in extreame anguish because he feares he must be damned but euen to loathe and abhorre himselfe and to be very
of God to reforme ones heart and soule as well as his free fauour to pardon former offences An vnsanctified man by benefit of Christian acquaintance in long and heauie terrours may come to the one of these to the other alone the Spirit of sanctification can leade one To which passe when the heart is once brought at length 4. A perswasion of mercie bringing a resolution of obedience the fourth act of the Holy Ghost doth plainely shew it selfe for it becomes a spirit of adoption within him the very earnest penny of saluation sealing vp vnto him the fauour of God the pardon of sinne the attaining of life and by a new and in truth considering the difference of former times a strange worke perswading him that God is reconciled vnto him and hath accepted him for his childe As it made him able to take vnto him words and goe vnto the Lord crauing to bee accepted graciously so it brings him word againe from God that he shal be yea that he is accepted gratiously and answering him euen as one would say with a sensible answer in the middest of his prayers oft-times so strongly and vndoubtedlie â—â—â—ures him of his being heard that hee makes for the time no more question of it then whither he liues yea or no. From which assurance of spirit hauing tasted the sweetnesse of Gods Grace and felt how good the consolations of his Word and Spirit are he growes resolute in his very soule for the time to come in all things to please God and finds a new kind of disposition inabling him to auoide euill and doe good so hauing put his necke vnder the gentle and easie yoke of Christ Iesus hee finds rest vnto his soule and thus is Christ formed in him and he transformed into a new creature For this firme purpose of will to please God in all things is so manifest and euident and sensible a worke of grace that now we may say this act of regeneration is growne to some good ripenesse and euen now perfected in him before he was in making a new man but now he is made new now he is begotten againe and become a sonne of God and heire of his kingdome and fellow-heire of Christ I know that it may befall an hypocrite lying vnder the burthen of a terrified conscience which may be totally and perpetually separated from regeneration and regeneration from it by the diligent inculcating of the comforts of the Gospell and the earnest labour of some Christian and godly men that in such case would faine speake peace to bee brought because they are told there is none other way of comfort to a purpose of neuer committing such and such grosse sinnes as they are accused of in their owne soules and to some promise of amendment of life but this is rather a resolution forced vpon them by striuing of others hereupon promising comfort then a thing growing in themselues out of the sense of the louing kindnesse of the Lord their God Whereas a Christian finds somewhat within him inclining him and making him to say within himselfe and euen little lesse then to sweare and vow with Dauid that hee will surely keepe the righteous iudgements of the Lord and that in all things and for euer to his dying day And thus is the worke of regeneratioÌ„ brought to some perfectioÌ„ thus doth the holy Ghost mould the soule of a man into a new fashion thus doth hee stampe vpon him a new image and as you would say the very lineaments and proportion of God his Father whom in a sweete likenesse that makes him amiable to God and Angels he begins to resemble Onely my brethren vnderstand you one thing for the better conceiuing of all that hath been spoken There are two sorts of regenerate men in the world Some it pleaseth God to call to himselfe euen very betimes dropping pietie and grace into them almost together with their mothers milke by benefit of that great fauour of God holy and Christian education and that euen in certaine insensible degrees so that they cannot so easily name the beginning and progression of this worke In these all the forenamed things are most manifestly found for in truth the working of them doth not cease till life cease and that so as sometimes the one of these workes of grace is more strong then the other Sometimes they find a more sensible abasement of themselues within their owne hearts out of the apprehension of their sinfulnesse sometimes desires and prayers are more vehement sometimes a comfortable resolution of pleasing God doth more mightily stirre in them yet because of the early working and that they were wrought in a still manner by very small degrees the worke did almost goe beyond obseruation and they cannot so distinctly tell when they began to be abased when to be raised vp But there is another sort of men regenerate who did liue a long time in vnregeneracie yea perhaps also in profanenes and notable and notorious wickednesse for oft it falleth out that the Pharisies and Scribes make lesse haste to the kingdome of heauen then the Publicans and sinners I meane that the grosse offenders are sooner regenerated then the ciuill liuers Now for such men it pleaseth the holy Ghost many times yea most times to worke these foure fore-rehearsed workes very distinctly making as it were some euident pause betwixt each of them and grace goes forward in them euen step after step in the manner that hath been described Most times if not alwaies the difference of their former life when they were but dead making the matter euident enough they can name when and where and by what meanes the Lord began first to lay them low to pull them downe and as they say in nature corruption and generation goe together to kil their old man by terrors till being so slaine he had in a calmer manner shewed them the filthinesse and lothsomnesse of it They can tell what longings they felt before they durst pray and what adoe they had to bring themselues to pray and then how long they continued praying before they were answered and lastly wheÌ„ that sweet tidings came that rauished their soule with ioy and made them so inamoured of Gods goodnesse that they euen made a strong couenant with him to walke in his waies and keepe his iudgements All these things I say they can tell well and nothing doth them more good then to recount with themselues this mightie act of the most high whereby their foules with as great a miracle as once Lazarus his body were raised vp from the rotten graue of sinne wherein they lay wrapt vp in the winding sheet of hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of mind stinking and putrifying as a carcasse crawleth with wormes swarming with those noysome lusts that are able to poyson vp an honest heart CHAP. V. Shewing the effects of Regeneration ANd so haue you brethren the order and so farre as may be collected out of scripture the
manner of the bringing to passe of this most excellent and wonderfull worke of a new begetting by the most excellent and wonderfull begetter the Spirit of truth and by that excellent and wonderfull seede of life the word of truth 3. The effects of regeneration which are foure Now I will declare vnto you that which is the third thing I promised the effects that follow hereupon Not euery particular for who can name them the life of grace abounding in multiplicitie of actions and operations as it were eating drinking breathing grieuing striuing smarting of the soule as the life of nature but alone some principall and most eminent by the seeing of which in it selfe the soule of the new borne babe of Christ shall haue cause to receiue much comfort The principall effects therefore of regeneration are these foure First a spirituall combat Secondly a good life for all this combat Thirdly a knowledge of that good estate whereinto the regenerate is translated Fourthly Spirituall growth in those graces that at first were but weake and feeble in the regenerate For alack an infant is a very tender thing and so are Gods infants For the first of these 1. The spirituall combat with No sooner doth a Christian begin to draw the breath of this new life but he findes himselfe called to fighting euen in the very cradle as I may so speake and as they fabled of that renowned heathen man He stands in a pitched field of enemies so soone as he can goe vpon the feete of his soule and there hee must neuer cease giuing and taking blowes till hee cease to be in this lower world Although indeed there be some intermission and relaxation of the strength and furie of the encounter as it pleaseth the Lord that knowes all things to temper them to his strength and direct them to his good 1. The Diuell First the diuell begins to play his part with him and finding him gained out of his hands and pulled from vnder his tyrannie musters vp an armie of tentations wherewith at least to annoy him if hee cannot as hee cannot preuaile to bring him backe againe to his seruitude and thraldome For when the strong man armed kept his house all things were at quiet vnder him but when he feeles himselfe bound and cast out and his house rifled by a stronger then himselfe then it must needs follow that hee will bestirre himselfe and lay about him with all the power that he can make So now the poore Christian though perhaps but an infant in grace is violently assailed by Satan according to his nature with extreame rage and subtiltie And if it haue so falne out that the Spirit of God was faine to batter downe the height of his heart and make passage for himselfe with horrible feares and terrors then Satan labours often to reuiue those terrors and by infinit cauils and obiections to make him euen despaire of his saluation There is none end almost of the diuels striuing in this case but hee will labour continually with new doubts and obiections to call his saluation into question and to make him thinke that hee shall neuer enioy the quiet possession of his heauenly inheritance Yet against all these the Spirit of God so strengthens him that by vertue of the gratious promises of God and by the power of constant prayers and supplications he supports himselfe and still continues to rest himselfe vpon the free goodnesse of God in Christ notwithstanding all these obiections and shakings Neither yet will Satan rest here but is further troublesome vnto him by stirring vp innumerable vile suggestions to draw him to the committing of some most notorious sinnes perhaps worse then euer in all his life before and for his old corruptions he ceaseth not to prouoke and incense them with all vehemency that he may driue him into lewd and hatefull practises of sinne But against these suggestions also he fighteth resolutely much indeede vexed and disquieted with them but still reiecting abhorring thē and beating them back by the word of God which is his sword by constant supplications whereby still he settles his soule firme and fast in his holy purposes of obedience I confesse that the diuell is a common enemie to all mankinde both sanctified and vnsanctified and therfore the vnregenerate also are much molested with him oftentimes when hee growes exorbitant and seeketh to pull them by the strength of vtter despaire as it were quicke into hell and to make them kill themselues or doe some other most grosse and vnnaturall crime But Satan is not willing to deale so roughly with them if he could chuse for he stands euer in most danger of losing them when hee carries himselfe towards them in so hard a fashion Wherefore he rather flatters and faunes endeuouring to rocke them asleepe still if hee can in the cradle of securitie and presumption Neither will he storme thus but when he sees his aduantage in regard of some bodily crosse or distemper or that he sees the Lord will needes awaken their sleepie consciences But for the poore Christian hee would not giue him rest no not for a day or two from the most horrible feares and from the foulest tentations whereto his corruption giues any passage or from others more hideous especially if hee see him weake scrupulous and iniudicious then hee makes vse of such ignorance and weaknesse and will neuer finde time to make an end of vexing him but that the Lord himselfe doth please to sound a retraite Indeede the Lord by this meanes to keepe downe his pride and ouer-master his strong corruptions doth giue much way to Satans rage but so still that he forgets not to refresh him with seasonable aide of his spirit of prayer and with the strength and comfort of his holie word and promises And in these termes stands hee with Satan euer almost assailed and incumbred by him And besides this the flesh also 2. Of the flesh as a more dangerous enemie though not so violent steps foorth to incounter him For though by grace it be wounded and mortified yet is it not quite and cleane taken away and remoued Wherefore the corruptions of his heart also grow violent in him lusting against the spirit and with a kinde of insinuating and secret inclination carrying him forward to all the former lusts of his ignorance and perhaps to some that are more loathsome and abominable Now vnbeliefe passion lust reuenge wantonnes worldlines and all the old distempers will be mouing in his soule and hee shall finde himselfe euer and anon little lesse then ready to yeeld vnto them and to be quite ouercome by them But the spirit in this case reuiueth it selfe also and lusts against the flesh stirring vp good motions against the bad and holy desires against the vnholy and vertuous wishes against the vitious and heartie prayers and requests to God against the sinfull inclinations of the euill heart so that at length his
were a reflexe of this knowledge followes an apprehension of himselfe as of a most meane base and contemptible thing compared to God in his very creation for hee was made of dust and came of very nothing but in this his corruption which came afterwards as a most loathsome vile and abominable creature because he is now he findes it full of wickednesse and extreamly sinful So growes he more and more to dis-esteme himselfe and to haue himselfe in no reputation yea to be vile and odious to himselfe and loathsome in his owne eyes and by acknowledging his infinite basenesse in comparison of God Gods infinite excellencies in cōparison of him he is made truly humble Secondly faith is wrought in his mind for this I conceiue to be the seate of it for it is the vnderstanding that must diduct particular conclusions from generall and so make application of them wherein consists the very essence of faith faith I say both in God and in the word of God Faith in God whereby hee is verily perswaded that God is his God being inabled in true and sound maner to apply to himselfe the sweet couenant of God whereby the Lord hath made himselfe one with him he cā say with assurance of heart O Lord my God and the Lord is my shepheard and my Redeemer liueth For in truth finding the liuely portraiture of the diuine nature in him how should he but know his father by his image this assurance that God is his he Gods is to him the sweetest thing in al the world thē to misse which he had rather chuse to misse his very life soule The strōger it is the more cheerfull happy is he the weaker it is as sometimes it hath its faintings the lesse liuely is hee There is also faith in the word of God to bee seene in him out of an experimentall feeling and certainty of the truth of it hee is vndoubtedly resolued that it is from God and that so as hee is inabled to apply it to himselfe in all the parts thereof For hauing beene to him as Paul speaketh in power 1. Thes 1.5 it must needs also be in much assurance Before the word of God doth worke so mightily to conuert the soule a man may haue a confused opinion of its being true taken vp vpon trust because in the places and among the persons where he hath receiued his education it is so generally accounted or else wrought by a common grace of illumination inabling the mind to giue a light weake and infirme assent vnto it but hee cannot be throughly and infallibly resolued of the truth thereof nor that it is from God and therefore it is said of the stony ground that they beleeued indeed but withall that the seed had no roote in them Luk. 8.13 they had a conceit and a sudden flashing apprehension that sure this doctrine must needs bee true but they had no setled wel grounded and established assurance thereof Onely when the word sinketh thus into the bottome of the soule and a man hath had so liuely experience of its wonderfull and diuine working hee makes no more question whether it be of God or no then whether the Sunne shine and whether that bee food that doth daily nourish his body Wherfore by the inward operation of the spirit and mighty efficacy of the word being most effectually cōuinced of its diuinity truth he now makes care to apply it in all parts to himselfe he laies hold vpon the promises threats precepts and makes particular vse thereof to his owne heart captiuating his reason sense and all to the infallible certainty and verity thereof for he knowes that God is the author of it seeing it hath begotten him againe to be the child of God So is his vnderstanding beautified with these two most admirable fruits of the spirit by which also hee attaineth as the Scripture calleth it a notable sharpnesse of wit Prou. 1.4 quickening him to the discerning of things spirituall and diuine in such maner and measure as a man of far better wit more learning but destitute of the same help could not attaine vnto In the next place his conscience is also quieted with peace 2. In his conscience in liued with conscionablenesse Whether conscience be a distinct faculty of the soule or whether alone a particular act of the vnderstāding reflecting vpon its selfe its owne actions with immediate reference to God I hold it not very needfull to dispute but here we wil speake of it as of a speciall faculty by reason of the wonderfull power that it is perceiued to haue in al the soule First then I say the conscience of the regenerate proclaimes within him an established peace betwixt God and him For the kingdome of God is peace saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 14.17 and being iustified by faith which in nature goeth before this work of regeneration though in time they be conioined we haue peace with God Then in truth Christ fulfilleth his promise of leauing his peace with them Iob. 14.27 euen such a peace as the world cannot take away from them and this peace that passeth all vnderstanding is euen as a guard a watch to keepe their whole soules in quietnesse safety though in the world they meete with many troubles and disquietments Their consciences by this most sweet grace becommeth an admirable friend vnto them It tels them from God that he is reconciled vnto them and being calmed from the former raging wherwith it was tossed it now makes vnto thē euen within to the care of the soule the most pleasing musicke the sweetest melody that is to be heard in all the world It acquitteth it excuseth in the name and in the roome of God it pronounceth absolution O vnspeakable consolation This is the peculiar happines of the sanctified they haue many times tranquillity in their soules through this peace of their consciences which with a quiet countenance a still voice it doth publish within in their hearts And yet in the middest of this peace their consciences are not dead and sleepy neither but are ready in a friendly louing maner to check controll thē if at any time in things known vnto them to be euill they shall offend a good man is so conscionable that he can in no known thing swarne out of the way but his conscience will bee telling him of it Onely this is done in faire termes not with outragious bitternes driuing him frō God as in former times but with kind yet earnest expostulations drawing him before God to confesse seek pardon 1. Sam. 24.5 Thus Dauids hart that is his conscience smote him when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment Thus his hart also smote him after the numbring of the people he went in before the Lord said I haue done exceeding foolishly 1. Sam. 24.10 but do away the sin of thy
backe from his growth in godlines as he can be gone yet he doth not as the hypocrite when he falls off fall on hating those that he sees to hold out in piety but euen then he liketh and loueth them and none so much as them vnlesse it may be in some particular iarre to some one and so is his loue ruled His hatred likewise is made a spirituall hatred it is set on worke against sinne and sinnefull men It is as naturall with him to hate wickednes as poyson and he cannot but hate it and find his soule as it were rising and warring against it and for those that loue sin he cannot but be out with them In truth this hatred of sinne doth cleaue so vnto him and doth so insinuatingly worke within him that he cannot but hate himselfe against that filthy selfe-loue which hee finds in himselfe when he perceiueth the working of sinne in himselfe And as for wicked men though he would neuer so faine hee cannot find his heart to be ioyned with them he must be of Dauids minde and hate them that hate God not meaning that he carrieth the habite of malice against them but this his affection of disliking and of separating from any thing that he must needs find stirring in himselfe towards a wicked man in whom he sees not the image of God Now for his affection of feare that is also rectified by the vertue of the feare of God his soule is ouer-awed by a grace making him that hee dares not sinne against God as a child doth not dare to offend his father though hee know well that God will doe him no harme yet he cannot make himselfe bold against him for why hee feares him and doth apprehend the displeasing of him to be so great an euill that he euen shrinkes at the conceite of it and finds his heart as it were falling downe at the thought thereof Therefore though no man could punish for such and such sinnes yet he cannot aduenture vpon them though he perceiueth something within him prouoking him that is his flesh because he knowes not how to answere it to God whom he counts it madnes to be bolde to make his enemie Yea and this his fearing of God doth sometimes worke so mightily in him that it makes him fearelesse of those daungers which else would make him tremble because hee apprehends them as matters of nothing in comparison of the displeasure of God which aboue all things he feareth Indeed if God doe please to reueale himselfe any whit terribly or to stirre vp the conscience the vnsanctified man trembles much at Gods presence he cannot keepe this passion of feare from working when there is present an obiect fit to mooue it but take away this and he ceaseth to feare onely the good man hath the feare of God so habituated in him that though he find not a shaking of his ioints at all times yet his very heart shaketh and trembleth to thinke of offending him and so he cannot be induced to doe it or if he haue this feare of his will giue him no peace till he haue attained reconciliation So that it is a feare mixed with loue making one carefull not to offend and to seeke atonement not an astonishing feare ioyned with hatred making a man to runne desperately from God when hee hath sinned and nothing else but cry out against himselfe and his owne misery Now for confidence heere the Christian finds himselfe confirmed with strength from aboue to rest his heart vpon God in Christ for the obtaining of all good things and escaping of all euill His soule hangs to Godward Gods truth and Gods power are leand vnto when any thing assailes his hopes as the very pillars and foundations thereof and if hee haue no friend nor meanes to trust in yet he giues not ouer hope but as Dauid can comfort himselfe in God because his heart was fixed vpon him And though this his confidence wants not its imperfections yet he perceiueth himselfe to haue gotten a new strength by it which he was neuer acquainted with before establishing and confirming him in and against all those shewes of euill that are ready to offer themselues vnto his minde In like manner his ioyes are taken-vp with God and things heauenly many times O how much good it doth him to consider how glorious the Lord his God is in himselfe and how gracious vnto him and what an vnutterable and heart-rauishing pleasure it is to him sometimes to meditate of his full inioying of God heereafter These things comming to his minde doe euen sweetly inlarge his heart and make his soule to open it selfe to take contentment in them sometimes euen as sensibly as in the things that are heere below and often times more The vertue of ioy of the holy Ghost doth rule his naturall passion of ioy and causeth it to be prouoked by things that are not subministred vnto his fancy by his senses but to his vnderstanding by his faith Gods promises are sweete to him the Kingdome of heauen hath a comfortable relish in his soule and he finds a life indeed in knowing that his life is hid with Christ Lastly his sorrowes are ordinated by the vertue of godly sorrow so that sometimes his griefes doe euen runne towards things spiritually euill Alwaies he maintaineth in himselfe a being displeased against sinne but oftentimes it doth euen sting his soule to consider how he hath offended his God And though he doe know himselfe out of the daunger of damnation yet the louing of God breakes his heart and hee can then with a still and quiet mourning sigh and mourne and weepe for sinne when he is farre enough from hauing any feare of damnation and though his griefes this way be not euery day alike in quantity nor insensiblenes yet vsually no day passeth him wherein he doth not seeke to draw his heart to a relenting remorse for his sinnes Though his offences be either vnknowne to the world or such as the world if it do know makes no reckoning of yet his heart is touched with them it often doth euen ake and is troubled when he remembers his past or present transgressions Yea and hee neuer remembers them but he would faine haue it ake Euen as nature hath framed him so that he cannot but grieue at naturall inconueniences if they befall him for the passions are not simply at the commaund of the will in their working but alone in regard of the measure so grace doth in such sort rule his hart that spirituall inconueniences and chiefely sinnes cannot but be troublesome to him It is a voluntary sorrow that he hath for sinne a sorrow not forced vpon him by crosses alone but sought by him when he hath no crosse to grieue for oft times yea he grieueth for this that he cannot be better then he is and it is a trouble and anguish to his soule that hee finds in himselfe no stronger and better growth in godlines And thus