The New Birth, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Shewing the principall graces which by Regeneration are begotten in the ſoule.
ANd ſo much for the fourth effect of regeneration, and for three of thoſe things, I promiſed to ſpeake of: I goe on now to the fourth and laſt point,4. The principall graces in regeneration beſtowed on the regenerate. viz. to make knowne vntounto you the principall graces that ſhew themſelues in the regenerate man; and by hauing of which (ſeeing by nature hee had them not) he deſerueth to be intitled a new creature. Theſe are in all the powers of his ſoule. For as I ſaid at firſt, holineſſe is infuſed into his whole man. Firſt,1. In his principall faculties. in the principall faculties, vnderſtanding, conſcience, and will. Secondly, in the inferiour powers, thinking-power, memory and affections; of which let vsus ſpeake in order but briefly, Firſt then the vnderſtanding of the regenerate is perfected with two moſt excellent and beautifull graces;1. In his vnderſtanding. knowledge, and faith. Knowledge, I ſay, firſt of God, then of himſelfe; out of which ſpringeth humility as a proper effect of both. He perceiueth a new light ſhining within him, inabling him to conceiue with a very ſtedfaſt apprehenſion (not with a wauering, wandring, doubtful confuſed fancy, as that was which he had before) that there is a God, an eternall and infinite eſſence; his maker, & the maker of all things, moſt wiſe, moſt mighty, moſt true, moſt righteous; moſt mercifull, moſt holy, hating ſin with a perfect hatred, and fully bent to puniſh the impenitent ſinner with vnutterable puniſhments; fully reſolued with all louing kindnes to accept of the penitent. And in one word eueryevery way inconceiueably excellent, as being indeed the fountaine of all goodneſſe, the creator, preſeruer, gouernour of all things, the Father, the Son, the holy Ghoſt, as he hath reuealed himſelf to his Church. The brightneſſe of this light diſcouereth it ſelfe vponupon his ſoule ſo effectually, that now hee ſtands vndoubtedly perſwaded of theſe things; which is alſo a principall cauſe of all other the good things, that are begun in him, and ſo is fulfilled in him the word of God,Heb. 8.11. ſaying, They ſhall all know me from the least to the moſt: Ioh. 17. laſt.and againe: righteous Father the world hath not knowne thee, but theſe hauehave knowne that thou haſt ſent me, and I hauehave made knowne thy name vntounto them, and wil make it knowne. Iob. 17.3.So it begins to be to them, life eternall, to know the onelyonly true God, and him whom hee hath ſent Ieſus Chriſt. Further, as it 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 hauehave 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 ye 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 hauehave a confuſed opinion of its being true, taken vp vponupon 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 giuegive a light, weake, and infirme aſſent vntounto 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. OnelyOnly 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 yt 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 vponupon 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 vntounto. 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 vnderſtā ding reflecting vponupon 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto them: It tels them from God, that he is reconciled vntounto them; and being calmed from the former raging wherwith it was toſſed, it now makes vntounto 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 ye name and in the roome of God, it pronounceth abſolution. O vnſpeakable conſolation! This is the peculiar happines of the ſanctified, they hauehave 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 vntounto 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. OnelyOnly 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, yt 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 hauehave done exceeding fooliſhly, 1. Sam. 24.10.but do away the ſin of thy ſeruāt. And though the conſcience (being too much put to it by the ſeruants of God in their folly) do wax ſomwhat ſharp; yet ſtill it keepeth this note of difference from the vnpurged conſcience, that it drawes them vntounto God. So a good conſcience is both quiet, for it promiſeth forgiuenes; and withall wakefull, for it cals for duty inceſſantly, & ſteppeth out againſt eueryevery confeſſed euill, yea againſt ſuſpected ones too.3. In his will. In the third place, the will of the ſanctified man ſhewes it ſelfe to be holy, by two graces alſo planted in it. Firſt, it is carried vp to Godward. It longeth & thirſteth after the liuing God, ſo that it findeth nothing in heauen nor in earth comparable vntounto him. It doth embrace him, and draw vntounto him as vntounto the chiefe, & (in a maner) the only Good. The being, happines, and felicity of God, is the thing that aboue all things, yea aboue his owne happines he deſireth; the fauour, louelove, and grace of God next to that, aboue all other things. Let him enioy the light of Gods countenance, and let corne and wine goe which way they will; he is happy enough, in that God is happy and is his Father. So Dauid once,Pſal. 73 25. Whom hauehave I in heauen beſides thee, and whom in earth with thee? and in an other place, All my bones ſhall cry, Lord who is like vntounto thee! Now he hath learned to place his felicity in the liuing God. Now apprehending him as goodneſſe it ſelfe, he vniteth himſelfe vntounto him by a feruent act of his wil, euen panting after him. Secondly, his will becommeth very flexible to the wil of God. It begins to be made one with Gods will, and to be (as it were) carried therein, like a ſtar in its proper orbe; or euen as a man in the chariot, wherein hee hath ſeated himſelfe. His will begins to bee euen ſwallowed vp in the will of God, and to bee nothing but as God will hauehave it; which is the principall, and a moſt inconceiueable happines which he findeth in this world. If it may appeare vntounto him that God would hauehave ſuch a thing done, he reſolues to doe it, ſay profit, pleaſure, & credit what they can to the contrary. Contrarily, if that hee perceiues the Lord of his life would not hauehave him to doe ſuch a thing; his determination is that he will not doe it, though he be ſolicited with all the allurements of delight, commodity, & aduancement. In truth, this free and firme diſpoſition of the will to doe the good, and auoid the euill, which God enioyneth him, for Gods ſake; is the very heart and marrow of regeneration: and therefore there is nothing which a Chriſtian man more miſſeth, then the worke of his will this way, if it be hindred; and nothing in himſelfe which he doth enioy more, whileſt the motions of it are vninterrupted. An hearty and vnfained deſire to pleaſe God in all things, is the characteriſticall note (as I may tearme it) of the ſanctified. It is the moſt apparāt, euidēt, ſenſible diſtinction betwixt him, & the falſly-ſeeming ſanctified, the hypocrite. Wherfore it is of much importance to finde this grace in ones ſelfe. And ſo are the ſuperiour powers of the ſoule framed to the bleſſed Image of God.2 In the inferiou… powers. The inferiour powers muſt needs follow the temper of the ſuperiour, and in them there reſteth the ſpirit of grace and glory, which adorneth them with the brightneſſe of excellent graces. Firſt the thinking power (or imagination) is raiſed vp to God and the things of God.1. The thinking power. The Chriſtian man findes, that as hee is apt by nature to thinke of the King, or of his parents, or friends, or ſuch like thing; ſo by vertue of his new nature, he is of himſelfe moued to be taking occaſion very many times to entertaine thoughts of God, and alwaies thoughts tending to magnifie him within his ſoule. Hee is often ſtirring vp in his owne heart, motions tending to diſcouer vntounto himſelfe the beauty and ſweetneſſe of God, his wiſedome, his power, his truth, his iuſtice, and other attributes; and withall alſo the admirable and inconceiueable excellency of heauen, & the ſurpaſſing glory and felicity of an other life. There is ſome familiarity and louing acquaintance betwixt God, and the kingdome of God, and his imagination; and it is a great pleaſure & content to him, to cōuerſe (as it were) with theſe things, in the cogitations of his mind, & to hauehave thē dwell within him. Before God was not in all his thoughts, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh;Pſal. 10.4. but now contrarily, as the ſame Pſalmiſt affirmeth of himſelfe, his meditation of God is ſweete: eueryevery thing almoſt that he ſees, ſerueth but to beget in him new formes of apprehending Gods excellencie, which in truth ſhineth forth moſt brightly in all theſe his workes. A man that knowes a rare ſecret and hidden treaſure, cannot but euer and a none hauehave the cogitation of it reuiuing it ſelfe within him: and the Chriſtian hauing the eie of his minde opened to know God, and to beleeue in him, ſees ſuch rich treaſures of wiſedome and goodnes in him; that his minde muſt needs be entertaining him within, by the imagination of theſe things. Wherefore not in ſolitarines alone, but in company, the motions of his minde are aduaunced towards heauen; and other things ſerue but as ladders to raiſe his ſoule thitherward. He is often, euen in the middeſt of other buſineſſes, digeſting in his minde, the excellencies of God: and thinking with himſelfe how good, how great, how wiſe is the Lord God, who hath done this, and this, and this! how excellent is his name through all the earth! how happy is he in the higheſt heauens, where hee hath founded the throne of his glory! yea, how bleſſed a Crowne hath he laid vp for thē that feare him, & how plentifull a reward is reſerued for them! when he walketh abroad, and ſees Gods workes, and when he is imploied in other occaſions, he holdeth his inward comfortable conference with himſelfe about his God, and often hath his ſoule prouoked to ſpeake vntounto God, and to take him into part of this diuine conference; telling him, as it were with a reuerent boldnes, and wife-like familiarity, how much good hee knowes by him, and how excellent hee muſt needes conceiue him to bee by ſuch and ſuch workes of his. In one word, hee mindeth not onelyonly, not chiefely, the things that are belowe, as once he did; but the things that are aboue, where Ieſus Chriſt our ſauiour ſitteth at the right hand of glory. His meditation is of God and his law and Kingdome continually. In like ſort his memory is hallowed to the remembring of God,2. Memorie. and the things that pertaine to God. He frequently mindeth himſelfe, of that all-ſeeing eie, which in all places attendeth him; and though the Lord as being a ſpirit, be in a ſort abſent from his ſenſes, yet by vertue of this ſanctified memory (which makes abſent things preſent), he offers him vntounto his minde as continually ſtanding at his right hand: & beholdeth him in all places (euen then when he is farre remoued from all other company), as a narrow obſeruer of his ſecret actions, and an eie-witnes of all his moſt inward and retired cogitations. He puts himſelfe in minde ſtill and ſtill, ſaying, Lord whither can I fly from thy preſence? The Lords eies behold me, his eielids ponder my paths: to him nothing is ſecret, from him nothing can be concealed; thus (I ſay) he mindeth himſelfe of the Lords being hard by him, and repreſents him often to his ſoule, as a witneſſe and iudge of his whole life, yea of his very heart and conſcience. And this excellent vertue of remembring God, doth ſtand betwixt him, and the tentations to ſinne, as it were ſtrong barriers, that doe mightily reſtraine his forward fleſh from committing it. For why? ſaith he to himſelfe, doth not the God of heauen ſee and know and vnderſtand? how then ſhall I doe this wickednes, and ſinne againſt him to his face? Further, his memory ſerues his turne alſo for the things of God. The commandements, threats, promiſes of the word, the workes of God, either of mercy or iuſtice, the infinite and eternall reward of well doing, the intolerable and endleſſe puniſhment of irrepentant ſinning, and the like, are alwaies before his eies, and hee makes none end of minding himſelfe of ſuch diuine things, as may frame him to holines. There is a naturall power of memory conſiſting in the ability of retaining, and making repetition of things that one hath heard or ſeene. This ability as following the temperature of the body, the ſanctified man (perhaps) may want, (and if nature hauehave not beſtowed it vponupon him, he muſt want it; for grace doth not adde a greater naturall perfection to the powers of mans ſoule, but alone makes the perfections it hath ſtraite and right, and guideth them to God ward): but that memory which God hath giuen him, he can vſe for the good of his ſoule to godly purpoſes, in all the ſanctified performances of memory. He can retaine good things, according to that ſtrength of retainement which nature affords him: but that that he doth retaine (and heere indeede he ſhewes his memory to be ſanctified), he hath at hand for the benefit of his ſoule in due ſeaſon: fruitfully recalling it, in the inſtant of tentation, in the very time of neede, when it may auaile him to reſiſt ſinfull ſuggeſtions of Satan or the fleſh, and to quicken him againſt his backwardnes and vnwillingnes to duties commanded. So his memory becomes a principall inſtrument of order, both to his heart and to his life: for example; A godly man and an vnregenerate, come both to one ſermon. It is made againſt filthines or couetouſneſſe, or any vice, as it falleth out. The vnſanctified man may (perhaps) be able to repeate tenne times more, and more orderly, then the ſanctified, (this is a fruit of nature not of grace); but when ſome time is paſt, and that both ſhall be tempted to couetouſnes or filthines; all that, that the vnregenerate man could ſo readily repeate, is ſlipt quite out of his minde (as a thing careleſly thruſt into a corner, which a man cannot find when he ſhould vſe it), ſo that he follows the ſin as much, as if he had neuer heard that Sermon: but ye godly man, hath thoſe reaſons & proofes of Scripture which he was able to carry away, inſtantly in his minde repelling ſuch thoughts and ſaying, hauehave I not heard what a ſinne this is? hauehave I not beene taught how it diſpleaſeth God? ſo by this his holy remembrance, the word of God is auaileable to keepe him from ſinning, or at leaſt after to raiſe him vp to the renewing of his repentance. And ſo you ſee the holineſſe of a Chriſtian mans memory.3 In his affections. Thirdly his affections are alſo ſanctified, and ſet in good order by the vertues which the holy Ghoſt infuſeth into him. The principall affections are, louelove and hatred, feare and confidence, ioy and ſorrow: All theſe are inabled by the ſpirit of God, with a new power of exerciſing themſelues vponupon God, and the things of God; and there are certaine vertues which doe rectifie each of them in their ſeuerall workings. Firſt for louelove, the motions and inclinations thereof are ruled by (that King of vertues) charity, both towards God and towards the children of God. A good mans heart is inclining it ſelfe ſtill to Godward, he finds in his ſoule that he hath ſomething within him bowing and bending his heart to God, and making him euen earne and melt after him ſometimes, and cleaue and ſticke vntounto him, in an vnexpreſſible manner: yea the ſweetnes of that louelove wherewith he finds himſelfe loued of God, is ſtill pulling him vntounto God, euen then when (perhaps) he finds the Lord ſomewhat diſpleaſed with him, and carrying himſelfe towards him ſomewhat angerly; as a wife comes towards her huſband, with a kind of melting affection, ſubmiſſiuely but ſtill louingly, when ſhe perceiueth that he is offended with her. In truth the working of this affectiō rectified (as I ſaid aboue) by charity, cannot be well enough ſet out in words; he findeth ſuch a kind of clinging to God, and ſuch an vniting of his heart towards him, that he had rather be depriued of all that is deere to him in the world, then of him: and his ſoule doth ſo ſetledly, ſtedfaſtly, ſolidly, irreſiſtibly bend it ſelfe to be one with him, that this inclination many times doth ouerweigh and ouer-rule all other inclinations in him; and ſometimes hee cannot but euen breake forth into words, profeſſing ſo much to himſelf, as Dauid, I louelove the Lord; and calling vponupon others, ſaying, louelove yee the Lord, wiſhing with all the wiſhes of his ſoule, that himſelfe and all others might more and more louelove the Lord. A ſanctified heart ſtandeth affected toward God, euen as the louer doth to the perſon he loueth; and he hath (though not ſo paſſionate, becauſe the obiect is ſpiritual, yet) as true and as perceiueable a working of his heart to God, as one louer hath to the other: and as to God, ſo he is likewiſe indued with charity to Gods people. The liking of his heart is to them aboue all other men: hee finds his heart mooued with good will to none, ſo much as to the Saints. If he perceiue the beames of Gods image ſhining, that is to him as good, and better then twenty yeeres acquaintance: yea it ſurpaſſeth all names of blood and alliance; whom he ſees godly, him hee priſeth aboue all other men. In truth this charity doth then ſhew its warmth, when almoſt the breath of grace is choaked by vices of diuers kinds. Though ſome particular breach may cauſe a little iarring of affections betweene a godly man, and another whom hee perſwadeth himſelfe to feare God alſo, yet he cannot but feele his heart to ſtand towards him euen in this iarre. Yea let a Chriſtian man, be at the worſt that euer he can be, and gone as farre 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 louelove 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 louelove ſin, he cannot but be out with them. In truth, this hatred of ſinne doth cleaue ſo vntounto him, and doth ſo inſinuatingly worke within him, that he cannot but hate himſelfe (againſt that filthy ſelfe-louelove 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 vponupon 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: onelyonly 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 hauehave, this feare of his will giuegive him no peace, till he hauehave attained reconciliation. So that it is a feare mixed with louelove, 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 vponupon 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 vntounto (when any thing aſſailes his hopes), as the very pillars and foundations thereof: and if hee hauehave 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 vponupon him. And though this his confidence wants not its imperfections, yet he perceiueth himſelfe to hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 vponupon 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 (my brethren) is a regenerate mans heart adorned in al the powers of it: vnderſtanding, will, conſcience, the principall; and imagination, memory and affections, the inferiour. Not ſo perfectly I confeſſe, that the contrary vices doe not often ſhew themſelues, interrupting the working of theſe vertues, and obſcuring and darkening their luſter: but ſo, as that ſtill the Sunne of holines doth breake thorough the miſts of vices, when they be at the thickeſt; and ſhine out againe, in ſpight of ſuch indarkening of them. In an vnſanctified man, theſe graces are not to be found at all, he doth not perceiue the working of them; he feeles not their weakeneſſe, he deſireth not their confirmation: but the child of God findeth them in himſelfe, and often againe findeth the quite contrary; he perceiueth them ſometimes to be ſtronger ſometimes weaker, and he is truly diſquieted with the vices that are oppoſite to theſe vertues, as with diſeaſes of body; and with the infirmity of theſe graces, as with weakeneſſe of his legs and armes, when he ſhould imploy himſelfe in any worke or buſines. His knowledge of God, is obſcured with ignorance, and often aſſailed with obiections, his faith in God and in his word hath its faintings, his conſcience feeles ſome prickes of guiltines; his will is not without its rebellious motions, his thoughts are dull to God often times; and his memory is turned to other things with the neglecting of God: his louelove is cold, his feare is chaunged into a kind of ſtupidity; his confidence is ſhaken, his ioyes weakened, and to his ſeeming little leſſe then dead; and his griefes are euen ſtopped, and the ſtreame of his teares dryed vp or diuerted: but alacke he finds this ſo to be, and is vexed at it: he perceiueth it and diſcerneth it with paine and diſlike, and hee can tell well that ſometimes it hath beene otherwiſe with him; and why is he thus now? why is hee ſo altered from himſelfe? Indeed he hath theſe graces neuer ſo plentifully, but that he ſees defects, and knowes there ſhould, and deſires there might be more: but yet when grace is a little weakened ouer that it was, he findeth it before long, and ſeekes to reſtore it againe to its former, and a ſtronger ſtrength.