To get into it 2. To be delivered of it 1. The means to get into it is 1. Examination of themselves 2. Confession of their sins 3. Hearty prayer for the softning of their hearts By which three are procured the three first steps Sight of sin Sense of divine wrath Sorrow for sin 2. The means to be delivered of it is by application of the promises and these according to their several objects produce their several effects some A sight of Christ A desire after Christ A relying on Christ An obedience to Christ A comfort in Christ not onely sought for but obtained if the promises be rightly applyed CHAP. II. Sect. 1. The first means to get into the new birth THe means to get into the new birth is first Examination and the way to examine is to set before men that Chrystal glass of the Law for their light and rule To this purpose I have here annexed a Catalogue or Table to shew them their offences not that I can possibly ennumerate all sins but onely the kindes and if herein I come short yet consciences awaked may be occasioned hereby to bring into their thoughts those others not mentioned Now then whosoever thou art that beginn'st this blessed work examine thy self by this Catalogue but do it warily and truly and where thou find'st thy self guilty either note it in this book or transcribe it into some paper that so they may be ready for thine eye when thou comest to Confession Sect. 2. Sins against the first Commandment IN every Commandment we must observe both the duties required and sins forbidden for both these are implyed in every one of the Commandments if in the first thou art guilty thou must answer negatively if in the second thou must answer affirmatively now then to proceed It is the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other gods but me For the duties here required Say first Hast thou ever in minde will and affections took the true God in Christ to be thy God Secondly hast thou abounded in those graces by which thou shouldst cleave unto God as in the warmth of knowledge and love and fear and joy and trusting in God Thirdly hast thou observed Gods mercies and promises and works and judgements upon thee and by a particular application took special notice thereof Fourthly hast thou communicated with the godly and joyned thy self to Gods people and delighted chiefly in them Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes been guilty of blasphemy or idolatry or witchcraft or atheism or epicurism or heresie Secondly hast thou not been guilty of pride a sin flatly opposing God and first committed by devils Thirdly hast thou not had inward reasonings that there is no God or that he seeth not Psal 14.1 Esay 29.15 Iob 21.14 Ier. 17.5 or knoweth not or that there is no profit in his service Fourthly hast thou not failed to love God and fear God and to put thy whole trust in God Fifthly hast thou not trusted in man or feared man or loved the world and thereby alienated thy heart from God Sixthly hast thou not resorted to witches or in the first place to Physitians and not to the living God Seventhly hast thou not tempted God and in the matters of God been either cold or lukewarm or preposterously zealous Eighthly hast thou not a proneness to sin yea to rebel against God in thy whole man Ninthly hast thou not been careless to perform the inward duties of Gods worship in sincerity and truth if in these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt have no gods but me Sect. 3. Sins against the second Commandment IT is the second Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image For the duties here required Say first hast thou ever worshipped the true God purely according to his will Secondly hast thou observed all those outward duties of his worship as prayer and vows and fasting and meditating and the rest Thirdly hast thou repaired to Gods house observed family duties received the Preachers of the Gospel Or for the sins here forbidden Say first Ier 9.14 hast thou not sometimes walked after the imaginations of thy own heart serving God out of custom or after the maner of thy fore-fathers by will-worship and superstitions Secondly hast thou not committed idol worship conceiving of God in thy minde or respecting him in thy sense in the likeness of a creature Exod 23.13 Thirdly hast thou not mentioned the names of other gods either by way of swearing or apology Fourthly hast thou not made an image to liken God to it Esay 40.18 or used any gesture of love and reverence to any such images Fifthly in a word hast thou not been careless to worship God Zach. 14.17 Psal 14.4 Math. 10.14 to call upon the Lord to receive Gods Ministers or to perform any other of the outward duties of Gods worship If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image Sect. 4. Sins against the third Commandment IT is the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the duties required Say first hast thou been ever a constant learner hearer and doer of Gods Word and Will Secondly hast thou prayed with perseverance understanding and power of the Spirit without doubting or wavering Thirdly hast thou come preparedly to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and being come hast thou discerned the Lords body Fourthly hast thou used all the titles and properties and works and ordinances of the Lord with knowledge faith reverence joy and sincerity Or for the sins here forbidden Say first hast thou not sometimes in thy talk dishonored the titles attributes religion word people of God or any thing that hath in it the print of his holiness Secondly hast thou not sworn or forsworn or loved false oathes Thirdly Zach 8.17 hast thou not caused the name of religion or people of God to be evil thought of by thy ill course of life or by committing some gross sin Fourthly hast thou not rashly or unpreparedly or heedlesly read the Word heard Sermons received the Sacraments or performed any other part of the worship of God Fifthly hast thou not thought or spoken blasphemously or contemptuously of God or of any thing whatsoever pertaining to God If in any of these thou hast transgressed then hast thou broken this Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Sect. 5. Sins against the fourth Commandment IT is the fourth Commandement Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day For the duties here required Say first hast thou according to the equity of this Commandment ever observed the Lords day and other days and times set apart for Gods service Secondly hast thou on those days rested from the servile works of sin and rested and relyed upon Christ for the remission of sins and led an holy and religious life that so thou mayest enter into that rest of
know the Spirit is above and the new birth or regeneration comes from the Spirit But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is so or what moves the Spirit to do so besides his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of his will we cannot tell Or if we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as others do Beda Erasm paraph. in loc the words then run thus Except a man be born again To this Nicodemus's reply seems more direct How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb No question he took Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely thus he mistook that the second birth should be after the maner of the first birth and therefore he saith Can a man that is old such as he himself was be born again No saith our Savior that which is born of the flesh is flesh and there is but one birth after this maner but to be born again is to be born after the Spirit and this is that second birth A man is first born of the flesh Doct. and he must be again born of the Spirit Hence appears the difference of the first and second birth the first birth is of the earth earthy the second birth is of the Lord from heaven heavenly the first birth is of nature full of sin the second is of grace full of sanctity the first birth is originally of flesh and blood the second birth is originally of the Spirit and water In a word the first birth kills the second gives life generation lost us it must be regeneration that recovers us O blessed birth without which no birth is happy in comparison of which though it were to be born heir of the whole world all is but misery Heb. 11.24 this was Moses praise that he esteemed the reproach of Christ above all the treasures in Egypt rather would he be the son of God then to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.24 No question it is a great dignity to be called the son in Law to a King 1 Sam. 18.23 Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 37. Act. 8.37 Acts 10.47 Acts 16.14 Titus 2.5 but nothing in comparison of being the Son of God this sonship is that degree above which there needs no aspiring and under which there is no happiness no heaven no kingdom Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Thus far of the maner of the words which containing the new birth it appears in them the father of it is God the seed of it the Word the mother of it the Church the place of it whence from Heaven the time of it when after a man is once born then he must be again born Except a man be born again Secondly as you see the maner of the words containing the new birth so now see the maner of the new birth contained in the words I know it is not wrought in all after one maner nor is the maner known to us but onely so far forth as it is sensible in us and therefore we must consider man before baptism in baptism after baptism In some is the new birth wrought before baptism as in the eunuch under Candace Queen of the Aethiopians Acts 8.37 and in the Captain Cornelius together with his kinsmen and and near friends Acts 10.47 and in Lydia Acts 16.14 and so our charity tells us that every Infant dying before baptism is renewed by the Spirit but the maner of this working we know not for it is one of the secrets of the Spirit of God In others is the new birth wrought in Baptism which indeed is the Sacrament of the new birth and seal of Regeneration but howsoever in Paedo-Baptism we see the outward seal yet we see not we feel not the maner of the inward working for this also is the secret of the * Bellar. Tom. 2. de Sacram. Baptism c 10. habent fidem habitualem See Dr. Field concerning the Author of the grounds of the old and new Religion S. 2. Fides est in infantibus potentia inclinatione Ursinus parte secunda Catechis quest 74. Spiritus operatur in potentiis animae ipsorum ut Bellar habeut spiritum fidei Zanch. in cap. 2. ad Ephes spirit of God In others is the new birth wrought after Baptism so Polanus but whether after Baptism or in Baptism we will not dispute onely as the case stands with us this I affirm That there is no manifestation of the new birth until after Baptism But when after Baptism I answer whensoever men receive Christ by faith which though it be many years after yet then do they feel the power of God regenerate them and to work all things in them which he offered in Baptism Now the maner of this feeling or of Gods Spirit working proceeds usually thus There be certain steps of degrees say Divines by which it passeth and howsoever in those whom God hath blessed with that great favor of holy and Christian education the Spirit of God dropping grace into their hearts even very betimes these steps or degrees are not so easily perceived Yet in those men who have lived long in sin whose sins have been gross and great and grievous no sooner come they to a new birth but they can feel grace work in them step after step and these steps we shall reckon to the number of eight The first is a sight of sin and this our Savior reckons for the first work of the Spirit When he is come Iohn 16.8 he will reprove the world of sin John 16.8 Of sin how why thus no sooner begins this blessed change from nature to grace but the conscience wrought on by Gods word opens its book and presents to the soul a bed-roll of those many mighty hainous sins committed against God and man there he may read in bloody burning lines the abominations of his youth the sins of all his life and to bring them into method the Commandments of God stand as a remembrancer before his eyes the first tells him of his loving somewhat above God the second of his worshipping a false God or the true God after a false maner the third of his dishonoring the great and mighty name of God the fourth of his breaking the Lords days either in doing the works of the flesh or leaving undone the works of the Spirit nor is this all as against God so against his neighbor hath he sinned the fifth tells him of his stubbornness and disobedience the sixth of his passions and desire of revenge the seventh of his lewdness and lustful courses the eighth of his robberies and covetous thefts the ninth of his lyes and and slanders back-bitings and rash judgements the tenth of his covetous thoughts and motions of the heart to all maner of evil Good Lord what a number of evils yea what innumerable swarms of lawless thoughts and words and actions doth he
of his minion-delight his bewitching-beloved-bosom-sin And now is the new man born amongst us will you view him Old things are passed away 1 Cor. 5.17 behold all things are become new 1 Cor. 5.17 His heart his eye his ear his tongue his understanding his will his memory his conscience his love his hatred his hope his fear his joy his sorrow will you any more his thoughts his words his actions his affections are all new this conversion is universal this change is a through change now is Christ formed in him now is he transformed into a new creature before he was in making a new man but now he is made new God the Father accepts him for his son God the Son stamps on him the Image of his Father but more immediately God the Holy Ghost hath thus moulded and fashioned him as I have let you see him and now he is born again which except a man be he shall not cannot see the kingdom of God Lo here those steps that raise up a man to the state of regeneration A sight of sin Sense of misery Sorrow for sin Seeking for comfort A sight of Christ Desire after Christ Relying on Christ Obedience to Christ one word more before we have done You see how God brings along the man whom he purposeth to make his Vse 1 and yet let no truly humbled sinner be discouraged if he observe not so distinctly the order of these steps and especially in that degree as you see we have related for if in substance and effect they have been wrought in them if he have them in truth though perhaps not in this degree I dare pronounce of him that he is surely born again It is one of our worthies hath said it that in our humiliations and other preparative dispositions we do not prescribe precisely just such a measure and quantity we do not determine peremptorily upon such or such a degree and height we leave that to the wisdom of our great Master in heaven the onely wise God who is a most free agent But sure we are a man must have so much and in that measure as throughly to humble him and then to bring him to his Savior he must be weary of all his sins and of Satans bondage wholly willing to pluck out his right eye and cut off his right hand I mean to part with his best-beloved bosom lusts to sell all and not to leave so much as an hoof behinde he must see his danger and so haste to the City of refuge he must be sensible of his spiritual misery that he may heartily thirst for merâ—y he must finde himself lost and cast away in himself that Christ may be all in all unto him and after must follow an hatred of all false and evil ways for the time to come a through-change of former courses company conversation and setting himself in the way and practice of sobriety honesty and holiness The sum is of every soul is required thus much first a truly penitent sight sense and hatred of all sin secondly a sincere and unsatiable thirst after Jesus Christ and righteousness both imputed and inherent thirdly an unfained and unreserved resolution of an universal new obedience for the time to come If any man hath had the experience of these affections and effects in his own soul whatsoever the measure be less or more he is safe enough and may go on comfortably in the holy path Now then let me advise thee whomsoever thou art that readest to enter into thine own soul Vse 2 and examine thine own state whether or no thou art yet born again Search and see whether as yet the spirit of bondage hath wrought its effects in thee that is to say whether thou hast been illightened convinced and terrified with a sensible apprehension and particular acknowledgement of thy wretched estate Search and see whether as yet the Spirit of adoption hath sealed thee for his own that is to say Whether after thy heart being broken thy spirit bruised thy soul humbled thy conscience wounded and awaked thou hast had a sight of Christ and hast thirsted after him and hast cast thy self on him and hast followed his ways and Commandments by an universal obedience If upon search thou canst say without self-deceit that so it is with thee then mayest thou bless God that ever thou wast born certainly I dare say it thou art born again But if thou hast not sense or feeling of these works if all I have spoken are very mysteries to thee what shall I say but if ever if ever thou meanest to see the kingdom of God strive struggle endeavor with thy might and main to become truly regenerate thus whilest the Minister speaks it is Christ that comes with power in the word Ezek. 18.31 32. thou mayest say perhaps it is not in thy power thou art onely a meer patient and Gods Spirit the agent and who can command the spirit of the Lord that bloweth where he listeth at his own will and pleasure I answer It is indeed the Spirit and not man that regenerates or sanctifies but I answer withal The doctrine of the Gospâ—l is the ministration of the Spirit and wheresoever that is preached as I preach it now to thee there is the holy Ghost present and thither he comes to regenerate nay I can say more there is a common work of illumination that makes way for regeneration and this common work puts a power into man of doing that which when he shall do the Spirit of God may nay will in the day of his power mightily work in him to his quickening and purging if then as yet thou feelest not this mighty work of God in thee and yet fain wouldst feel it and gladly dost desire it otherwise I confess it is in vain to speak follow me in these passages I shall lend thee two wings to bear thee two hands to lead thee to the foot of this ladder where if thou ascend these steps aforesaid I dare certainly pronounce of thee thou art the man born again The first wing is Prayer which first brings thee to Gods throne and there if thou hast thy request then to the new birth if I must acquaint thee how to pray Hos 14.2 Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously and then it follows I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely ver 4. Jerem. 30.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned The soul may object I may say thus and be no better But I answer say it though you be no better because God bids you say it Say it and say it again it may be he will come in when you say it Hosea 14.4 Pray that God would please to prepare thy heart to sanctifie thy affections to order thy
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