The True Way of a Christian, Text (2 of 3)

The True Way of a Christian · Text (2 of 3)

p. 43foreign. If any man be in Chriſt. Expoſitio. Beza in Annotat.Here is the Adiectiue us, any. But the Subſtantiue man, is vnderſtood, yet neceſſarily implyed both in the Greeke and Latine, and wel expreſſed in our Engliſh tranſlation, If any man. A word or two therefore of this.

That you may know man, and what man our Apoſtle here ſpeakes of, conſider his name: Firſt in Hebrew foreign which is as much as Earth or earthy, to teach man that hee is mortall, and as hee was taken from the earth, ſo hee muſt turne to earth againe, Gen. 3.19.The name of Man In Hebrew, firſt Adam, red Earth. To teach man to remember his end. Gen. 3.19.Gen 3:19 And therefore hee ſhould ſtudie to liue in this life here, as euer remembring hee muſt once die, and ſo change this life, if p. 44he liue well,Dan. 12. Mat. 25.2. Bu…aeus lib. de cont…mptu reru n ſo…tunarum, pſum …oelum ſuffi…ere h…mi natura dedit, vt nom… Gra…ū indicatDan 12Matt 25:2 for a better, a life of glorie, and happineſſe in heauen. But if he liue ill, for a worſe, a life of woe, and miſerie for euer in hell.

Secondly, in Greeke, his name is foreign, which ſeemeth to ſignifie as much as foreign that is tending vpwards (as Budaeus intimates) To ſhew that he onelyonly liueth as becomes his name, who lifteth vp his eyes to heauen and heauenly things, to God in thankefulneſſe, who gaue him 2both his name, and his nature, with all the good that hee hath,Man ſhould h…ue his eyes towards heauen. both for his ſoule and body. But for that man who hath his eyes, the eyes of his body and minde alwayes fixed down-wards towards the earth and earthly things, 3as he hath the nature, ſo he deſerues the name of a beaſt, rather then that excellent and noble name of Man.In Latine, to teach man obedience to God. Steph. Paris ſerm.

Thirdly, in Latine, the name of Man is Homo; which (as learned Varro inferres) hath his ſignification ab Humo, from the moyſt and plyable ground: eaſily following the turne and winding of the Potters wheele, that men 4might learne from the proper name of their owne nature,To teach vnitie betweene man and man. Dominicus Nauus in Peliante. tit. hom. ſocialis eſt homuus ac benefica natura, quo ſolo cognationem cum deo habet. Lactantius lib. 5. inſititut. eaſily to be turned and guided in obedience to the will and command of God. But ſome deriue the Latine name Homo, from the Greeke foreign, which ſignifieth, vnity, concord, and agreement of minde. To ſhew that men ſhould ſtriue to be at vnity and charitie, one with another, like Pylades and Oreſtes, who had but one minde in two bodies, ſo true was their louelove. But I goe no further concerning his name.

If you conſider his nature: Firſt, after a Philoſophicall manner, I find there were three opinions amongſt Philoſophers concerning man. The firſt did teach that 2man was onelyonly ap…orporall ſubſtance, that his ſoule it ſelfe was a body,The nature of man. Opinions of Philoſophers. and b… conſequence, the whole man corporeall; So Democritus, Leucippus, and a ſort of Philoſophers called Epicures. The ſecond did teach that man was only 1incorporeall, that is, all ſoule; for they would hauehave only 2the ſoule of man to pertaine to the ſubſtance and p. 45eſſence of man, and his body to bee but an inſtrument to the ſoule, as the ſhip is to the pilot. So Plato and other Stoicall of philoſophers like himſelfe. The third ſort did affirme 3that man was compoſed of both as of his eſſentiall parts, of a ſoule as of his formall, and of a body as his materiall cauſe, and both required to make vp the eſſence and being of man. Thus Ariſtotle and the Peri-pateticks his followers. And this is moſt agreeable to the Scriptures, for when God made the body of man of the earth, he made his ſoule from heauen, and vniting them both together in a wonderfull manner,Pſal. 139.14.15.Ps 139:14Ps 139:15 man became a reaſonable creature, or a liuing ſoule, Gen. 2.7. Not that he is only a liuing ſoule, for he is a liuing body as well as as a liuing ſoule, (the body liuing by the ſoule,) but hee hath his denomination in that place from the better part which is his ſoule. And thus you ſee mans nature philoſophically. If we conſider him theologically,Man conſidered Theologically. 3. Eſtates. 1. Eſtate, of creation. wee ſhall 2finde him changeable according to the diuers eſtates whereunto he is ſubiect. And in this life there is a threefold eſtate of man. The firſt our excellent eſtate of creation in Adam, when God did giuegive vsus our portion with large endowments of all graces, both ſpirituall and temporall. The ſecond our ſtate of nature, and naturall corruption ſince Adams fall,2. Of nature corrupted. in whom like prodigals we ſpent our patrimony, and loſt the excellency of that image wherein God did make vsus.3. Of grace. The third and laſt is our ſtate of grace and regeneration in Chriſt, for whoſe merits God the Father doth freely embrace vsus in the armes of his mercy, and accepts vsus in him to bee ſonnes and heires of eternall glory. And this is the eſtate of a Chriſtian man, of that man of whom our Apoſtle ſpeakes in my Text, If any man be in Chriſt.

And thus hauing gathered ſome fruite from the branch which is man, and eueryevery Chriſtian man, let vsus ſee what we can finde in the vine which is Chriſt,2. Branch. If any man bee in Chriſt. foreign, In Chriſt. The Scripture doth as well teach p. 46that Chriſt is in vsus, as that we are in Chriſt. I will giuegive you a few places for many, which are moſt emphaticall. At that day ye ſhal know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you (ſaith Chriſt to his diſciples) Iohn, 14.20. Know you not that Chriſt Ieſus is in you, except ye 1be reprobates? ſaith Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 13.5. And if any man be in Chriſt, An admirable vnion betweene Chriſt and his Church. A threefold vnion of Chriſt and Chriſtians. Greg. lib. 6. epiſt. 61. Verbum carnē dicimus factum, non immutando quod erat, ſed ſuſcipiendo quod non erat; noſtra auxit, ſua non minuit. Hil. lib. 12. de Trinit. Cyril lib. 1. c. 16. Chryſ. Hom. 10 Ambr. de. Incarn. Dom. c. 6.is my Text. So that hence we may learne that there is an admirable vnion and Communion betweene Chriſt and his Church, betweene our Sauiour and eueryevery faithfull ſoule. And to vnderſtand this, we muſt know that there is a threefold Vnion and Communion of Chriſt with vsus. The firſt in nature: the ſecond in grace, and the third in glory. The firſt is that Hypoſtaticall or perſonall Vnion of our humane nature with the divine, of which Saint John ſpeakes, Iohn, 1.14. And the word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongſt vsus, and we saw the glory thereof, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of the Father, full of grace and truth. The Word, that is, the Divinitie of Chriſt, was made fleſh, that is, did take vponupon him our humane nature; he tooke on him the ſeede of Abraham, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 2.16. and did dwell foreign, in vsus, (as it is in the Originall) that is, in our humane nature, as Saint Hilary, S. Cyrill, S. Chryſoſtome, S. Ambroſe, and others obſerue. And ſo they vſed this place againſt thoſe heretickes who affirmed that the Word was conuerted into the fleſh; for if he dwelt in the fleſh, that is, in our humane nature, then he remained ſtill what he was, and therefore could not bee conuerted into the fleſh, as they falſly imagined. This expoſition is true in the ſubſtance, though it doth not fully explicate this vnion of Chriſt with vsus; for Chriſt doth not onelyonly dwell in our nature as a man in his manſion houſe, but is vnited vntounto our nature, as the ſoule to the body, yea after a farre more excellent and wonderfull manner. The two natures of Chriſt, the divine and humane, being vnited, make one perſon, ſaith Damaſcen; Damaſc. lib. 3. cap 4.there is one Chriſt, not by conuerſion p. 47of the Diuinity into the fleſh, but by aſſumptiō of humanity into his Godhead; one altogether not by confuſion of eſſence, but by vnity of perſon, as Athanaſius Athanaſius in Symb.affirmes. And by this admirable vnion, Chriſt the eternall Word of his Father did aſſume in moſt neere maner vntounto himſelfe our whole humane nature, without any conuerſion, confuſion, alteration, or ſeparation as the Chalcedon Chalcedon. Symb.creede doth teſtifie, and that, (as Damaſcen addeth) the proprieties of both natures being ſafe. Therefore the Ancients did affirme, that the myſtery osthis vnion was Mirabiliter ſingulare, & ſingulariter mirabile, Wonderfully ſingular, and ſingularly wonderfull; it is that great myſtery of godlineſſe, 1. Tim. 3.16. Of which there is no example in nature, which foreign, in all reſpects is anſwerable vntounto it: for howſoeuer foreign in ſome kind there are ſome to illuſtrate it, as that vnion of the ſoule and the body, of the fire and the yron red hotte, of the Sunne and the light (which Iuſtine Martyr, Cyrillus, Athanaſius, and others vſe in their writings,) yet none can fully explicate this great and wonderfull myſtery. To conclude, this vnion is not imaginary onelyonly, but true and reall (though ſupernaturall,) and the foundation of our ſpirituall with Chriſt, both in grace and glory depends vponupon it. For had he not taken our nature vponupon him, and ſo freely marryed himſelfe vntounto vsus,Hoſh. 2.19. we could neuer hauehave beene vnited to him. But Chriſt vniting himſelfe to vsus in nature, (and God accepting vsus as iuſt and righteous for his merits,) we are vnited to him in grace, which is the ſecond vnion betweene Chriſt and vsus.The ſecond vnion is of our perſons with Chriſt here. Zanchias in comment. in Epheſ Gen. 2.24.Gen 2:24 And this is the vnion of our perſons, of our whole man both ſoule and body, vntounto the whole perſon of Chriſt, God and man, by the excellent bond of our ſpirituall marriage, in which Chriſt hath vnited vsus vntounto himſelfe; as the whole perſon of Adam, was ioyned in wedlocke to the whole perſon of Eue, ſo are we to our heauenly bridegroome. For that carnall marriage betweene Adam and Eue was a type and figure p. 48of this ſpirituall betweene Chriſt and his Church, as S. Paul witneſſeth, Ephe. 5.33. And this is in the kingdo me of grace in this life.

3The third vnion, is our union with Chriſt in glory, in the kingdome of heauen,A vnion with Chriſt in glory. by which we ſhall enioy the preſence of our Sauiour, yea wee ſhall hauehave vnion with God and his Angels, and be filled with abundance of glory and happineſſe for euermore: of this our Sauiour ſpeakes, John 14.3. J goe to prepare a place for you, and if I goe to prepare a place for you, I will come againe, and receiue you vntounto my ſelfe, that where J am, there may you bee alſo. And for this vnion, our Sauiour prayeth to his Father, Iohn 17.24. Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt giuen me, be with me, where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt giuen me: for thou louedſt mee before the foundation of the world. And this vnion the bleſſed Apoſtle did ſo earneſtly long after. Philip. 1.23. Ideſire to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt. Neither is it to be doubted, but that our Sauiour in the firſt vnion, the vnion of our nature, was willing to praemonſtrate the ſecond, our vnion in grace, and in the ſecond to manifeſt the third, that by that vnion which we enioy in preſent, we might bee confirmed in the hope of that which wee ſhall enioy hereafter.Amandus Polanus ſ…ntag. The firſt vnion is referred to the ſecond, and the ſecond to the third, as nature is ordinated to grace, and grace to glory. The firſt vnion is the cauſe of the ſecond, and the ſecond is the cauſe of the third. For we cannot be vnited to Chriſt in glory in the life to come, except we be ingrafted into him in this life by grace; but we could not hauehave been vnited to him in grace, except Chriſt had vnited himſelfe to vsus in nature, by taking our nature upon him: Whoſoeuer therefore will be vnited to Chriſt in glory, it is neceſſary that he be firſt vnited to him in grace; and whoſoeuer is vnited in grace, it is neceſſary that he ſhould hauehave bin vnited to him in nature. Thus you hauehave a briefe view of our threefold vnion p. 49with Chriſt. But it is the ſecond of theſe, our vnion with Chriſt in grace, of which I am now to ſpeake.

And therefore to illuſtrate this a little further, I ſhewed you it was a vnion of our perſons, ſoule and body, with the perſon of Chriſt both God and Man: For as in the firſt vnion, the vnion of Chriſt with our nature, the whole perſon of the Sonne of God did aſſume into the vnitie of himſelfe the whole man, that is, his whole humane nature, not the body alone, nor the ſoule alone, but both together; So is it when Chriſt is vnited to a Chriſtian, he is vnited to the whole man, both ſoule and body, as a Chriſtian is vnited to the whole Chriſt, both God and Man. Therefore the Apoſtle doth not onelyonly witneſſe, that he which is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17.1 Cor. 12.13.1 Cor 12:13 but that our bodies are the members of Chriſt; in the 15 verſe of the ſame Chapter; Yea, wee which are many, are one body in Chriſt, Rom. 12.5. So that Chriſt is vnited both to our ſoules and bodies. And thus are we vnited vntounto whole Chriſt. To his humanitie (not after a carnali but a ſpirituall manner) For thus,Heb. 2.14.Heb 2:14 wee are members of his body, yea, of his fleſh, and of his bones; (ſaith the Apoſtle) Epheſ. 5.30. This he ſpeakes for that neere coniunction which we hauehave with Chriſt; He that eateth my fleſh (ſaith Chriſt) dwelleth in me, and I in him, Ioh. 6.56 From whence we muſt conſider (ſaith Cyrill Cyrillus in Ioh. lib. 10. cap. 13) that Chriſt is not in vsus only by habitude, as hee dwelleth in vsus by Faith and Charitie; but alſo by a naturall participation: not in reſpect of the matter, for it is ſupernaturall; but in reſpect of the manner, or of the thing participated, which is the true fleſh of Chriſt: Not groſly and carnally, as the Papiſts imagine in their imaginary Tranſubſtantiation, but ſpiritually by a true and reall vnion of Faith: The bread that we breake, it is the Communion of the body of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.17. That is, that thing by which we are receiued into Communion with the body of Chriſt, as Zanchius interpreteth it: yea, by this wee p. 50are vnited to his Diuinity: as S. Peter affirmes, Who according to his diuine power (ſaith he) hath given vntounto vsus all things that pertaine vntounto life and godlineſſe, through the knowledg of him that hath called vsus to glory and vertue, wherby are giuen vntounto vsus exceeding great and pretious promiſes, that by theſe you might be partakers of the diuine nature, 2. Pet. 1.3.4.2 Pet 1:32 Pet 1:4hauing eſcaped the corruption, that is the world through luſtes.

And thus it is manifeſt that there is a vnion of our perſons in grace with the perſon o… Chriſt; not that we are made one perſon with him, but that we which are many are one body, of which Chriſt is the head; wee are one wife and Chriſt our Husband. But to explaine it a little more: The queſtion may be demaunded, What kinde of vnion is this, Queſtion. by which we are ſo wired vntounto Chriſt, and Chriſt to vsus? I anſwere, If wee reſpect the things which are vnited, Anſwere. and the verity or truth of the vnion; it is a reall, a ſubſtantiall, an eſſentiall vnion. And if wee reſpect the manner and order of it; it is a vnion ſpirituall, and ſupernaturall. To illuſtrate the verity and reality of this vnion, there are diuers ſimilitudes in ſacred Scriptures, ſet forth vntounto vsus by the Spirit of God.

1Firſt, as there is the vnion between the Husband and the Wife,Similitude to illuſtrate our vnion with Chriſt. which the Apoſtle S. Paul vſeth, Epheſ. 5.31. And they two ſhall be one fleſh. Which certainely is a ſubſtantiall vnion of the Husband and Wife, becauſe two perſons are vnit…d; and a true and reall vnion, becauſe they are vnited into one true fleſh, and are alwayes truely one fleſh; But how? In reſpect of that coniugall bond in which they are vnited by the ordinance of God. And this the Apoſtle applyeth to that ſpirituall vnion betweene Chriſt and his Church. This is a great myſterie (ſaith he) but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church, Epheſ. 5.32. But this vnion of Chriſt with vsus is more excellent, for Chriſt doth not onelyonly communicate vntounto vsus all needfull graces, as the wife doth partake with the Husband in all his goods; and he not onelyonly dwelleth with p. 51vsus, as the Husband with the Wife, but in vsus, in our hearts, by faith, and by louelove, and by his Spirit, in a farre more abſolute and perfect manner, then the Husband can with the Wife; Though this be an admirable ſimilitude, by which in a liuely manner is thus expreſſed the myſterie of that vnion betweene Chriſt and his Church.

Secondly, this vnion is deſcribed by the ſimilitude of the head and the members of the body,2. Simil Ephe. 4.15.19Eph 4:15Eph 4:19 which members are vnited and knit together, not onelyonly by veines and arteries, but alſo by one liuing Spirit; whereby is noted, not onelyonly our moſt neere vnion with Chriſt, but alſo that we receiue our life from Chriſt, as from the roote and fountaine, from whence all the veines of our ſpirituall life doe ſpring and flow forth. And this vnion without queſtion is a ſubſtantiall, true, and reall vnion, without which, we cannot receiue the fruite of his Paſsion, nor the gifts and graces of his Spirit: as the members of the body cannot receiue their nouriſhment, and life, and motion, being ſeparated from the head; and in which we grow vp to perfection, as S. Paul intimates.

Thirdly,3. Simil. this vnion is confirmed by the ſimilitude of a liuing foundation, and liuing ſtones built vponupon it, which by the truely ſubſtantiall, and reall coniunction of them with the foundation, doe daily receiue an increaſe, vntill the houſe or building be perfected. So is it in our vnion with Chriſt. Chriſt is a liuing ſtone (ſaith S. Peter) and wee as liuely ſtones are built vp a ſpirituall houſe, 1 Pet. 2.4.5. We are built (ſaith S. Paul) vponupon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe being the chiefe corner ſtone: In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth vp vntounto an holy Temple in the Lord.Coloſſ. 2.19.Col 2:19 Epheſ. 2.20.21.

Fourthly, this vnion is expreſſed by Chriſt himſelfe in the ſimilitude of eating and drinking:4. Simil. He that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him, Ioh. 6.56. But this with a manifold difference,Tollet in Iohan. as interpreters p. 52obſerue; For firſt, he that receiueth common meate and drin…e, is ſaid indeede to hauehave meate and drinke within him: But yet he doth not remaine in the meate and drinke, neither doth the meate and drinke remaine or continue in him; for either it is corrupted and euacuated, or conuerted into the ſubſtance of the fleſh and blood of him that eateth it: But Chriſt is not ſuch meate and drinke vntounto vsus. Becauſe the fleſh of Chriſt is neither corrupted nor conuerted into the fleſh of the eater; But it remaineth ſtill what it was, and doth rather by a new qualification change vsus into him, or conforme vsus vntounto his image, when we doe eate or receiue him by faith. Secondly, common meate receiueth life and vertue of nouriſhment from him that eateth it; for a dead man that hath not life and heate in him, yea a ſicke man whoſe life and power of nature is ſo farre ſpent, that he cannot digeſt what he eateth, can receiue no life, nor ſtrength from his meate, it being but dead fleſh or the like; till it be as it were quickened and raiſed to life by the heate and vertue of the eater, it cannot nouriſh nor preſerue life in him. But it is not ſo with Chriſt our ſpirituall foode; he doth not receiue life from vsus, but he rather giueth life vntounto vsus: and therefore S. Ambroſe affirmes that for this reaſon,S. Ambroſe lib. 6. de ſacram. Chriſt is that liuing bread that came downe from heauen. Ioh. 6.51. So that Chriſt remaineth in the eater, becauſe he is ſo vnited vntounto him, that he cannot be corrupted, nor conuerted into the ſubſtance of him that eateth: but rather changeth it into him (as I ſaid before:) and the eater remaineth in Chriſt, becauſe he receiueth life from him, whoſe blood is drinke indeede, and whoſe fleſh is meate indeede; not carnally to feede the body (as the fleſhly Capernaits and groſſe Papiſts doe imagine,Ludolphus in vita Chriſti part. 2. cap. 56. Ioh. 6.55.John 6:55) but ſpiritually to feede and nouriſh our ſoules and bodies to eternall life. For ſo Chriſt explaineth himſelfe, ſhewing (againſt his fleſhly hearers) how his ſpeech was to be vnderſtood, p. 53not after a carnall and fleſhly (as Bellarmine Bellarm. lib. 1. de Sacram. Euchariſt. cap 5. Tertul. lib. 4. contr. Marcion. S. Ambroſ. de illis qui initiantur myſteriijs. Auguſt. in Pſal. 3. Chryſost. hom. 11.Ps 3would hauehave it) but after a ſpirituall manner (as the Fathers agree.) Jt is the ſpirit that quickeneth (ſaith Chriſt) the fleſh profiteth nothing; the words that I ſpeake vntounto you are ſpirit and life. Ioh. 6.63. And by this vnion alſo, you may ſee how our vnion with Chriſt is exemplified.

Againe, Chriſt expreſſeth it in moſt liuely manner, by the compariſon of the vine and the branches. I am the Vine, ſaith Chriſt, and ye are the branches; as the branch cannot beare fruite of it ſelfe, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. Ioh. 15.4, 5. So that as there is a vnion betweene the vine & the branches, ſo is there betweene Chriſt and his Church; and as the branches receiue the ſappe and life from the vine, ſo doe we from Chriſt.

Laſtly,6. Simil. it is demonſtrated yet more plainely by the Embleme and ſimilitude of the graft and the ſtocke, of the branches of the wilde oliue grafted into the good, which S. Paul ſets forth excellently, Rom. 11. from 17. to 25. ver. of the chapter: for as the wilde oliue cannot be changed, except it be firſt grafted into the good; nor can it bring forth good fruite vntill it be partaker of the roote and fatneſſe of the true Oliue tree; ſo we who by nature are wilde oliues, cannot ſpring out of this true Oliue Chriſt Ieſus, except wee be firſt ingrafted into him by grace, and after ſo dreſſed and ordered by that heauenly Oliue-planter (the bleſſed Spirit,) that by little and little, leauing the bitterneſſe of our naturall corruption, wee may bring forth, and become ſweete fruite for our heauenly Father.Similitudo non Cur…it quatuor pedibus. Herein the ſimilitude agreeth, but it runneth not of foure feete (as the prouerbe is) but in ſome reſpect is different as are the reſt; For firſt in naturall grafting, looke of what nature the graft is, ſuch fruite will the ſtocke nouriſh and bring forth, becauſe the ſtocke is turned into the nature of the graft: But in this ſpirituall p. 54grafting it is not ſo, for it is neceſſarie that we who are the grafts, ſhould be turned into the nature of the ſtocke Chriſt Ieſus: that we may bring forth ſuch fruite as is anſwerable to his nature,Luk. 1.75.Luke 1:75 in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of our life. Secondly, hence there is not to be imagined any confuſion, or transfuſion of Chriſt, or of his eſſentiall qualities into vsus, (as may ſeeme to be of the ſtocke into the graft, and as the Libertines did imagine) but foreign quaedam, a certaine power, and vertue, and efficacy, by which Chriſt doth change vsus by his Spirit, (being freely iuſtified and engrafted by faith in him) and doth regenerate and daily renue vsus vntounto a ſpirituall and heauenly life; And in this eſpecially, our vnion doth conſiſt and is made manifeſt: that being ingrafted by faith, we doe ſpring vp in all holineſſe and heauenly vertue, and are conformed to the image of him,2. Cor. 3.18.2 Cor 3:18 (euen of Chriſt) vntounto whom we are vnited.

Thus then you may ſee plainely, the veritie and realitie of this vnion declared vntounto you; If you conſider the manner and order of it, you ſhall finde it ſpirituall and ſupernaturall (as in part I have touched already.) It is a ſpirituall vnion;Lanchius in Epheſ. becauſe it is wrought by the Spirit, and by faith; by the ſpirit in reſpect of Chriſt, becauſe Chriſt worketh it by the ſpirit; and by faith in reſpect of vsus, becauſe true faith working by louelove, is as it were the bond and tie, by which the bleſſed ſpirit, doth as it were knit and Vnite vsus to Chriſt. It is the Spirit that workes faith and all other graces in vsus, and therefore queſtionleſſe he workes and effecteth this vnion, which is the fountaine and foundation of the reſt. All theſe worketh that one and the ſame Spirit, diuiding to eueryevery one ſeuerally. 1. Cor. 12.11. We are made the ſpouſe of Chriſt, the members of Chriſt, and fleſh of his fleſh, by his ſpirit, by whom he doth incorporate himſelfe to vsus, and vsus vntounto him. And faith is the inſtrument by which we are vnited: Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith, (ſaith the Apoſtle,) p. 55Epheſ. 3.17. Therefore whether Chriſt be propounded in the word, or in the Sacraments, it is by his ſpirit and our faith, that he is vnited to vsus, and we to him; and this not in a carnall but a ſpirituall manner; for the workes of the ſpirit are ſpirituall, and ſpiritually to bee vnderſtood. De naturali in nobis Chriſti veritate, quae dicimus, niſi ab eo diſcimus, ſtultè atque impiè dicimus, ſaith Hilarie, Hilary de Trin. lib. 8. pag. 141.of the naturall truth of Chriſt being in vsus; Thoſe things which we ſpeake, we ſpeake them fooliſhly and impiouſly, except we firſt learne them of Chriſt. And this is the ſcope of Cyrill Cyril. in Ioh. lib. 10. cap. 13.on Iohn, that we ſhould vnderſtand the words of Chriſt ſpiritually, and not after a carnall manner. Thus ſhall we ſee and know that ſpiritually, we may receiue Chriſt and bee vnited vntounto him; though Chriſt be in heauen and we in earth; as S. Auguſtine Auguſt. Tract. 50. in Ioh. fol. 368.declareth excellently in his Tractate vponupon Iohn: Let the Iewes (ſaith he) heare and lay hold on Chriſt, who ſitteth at the right hand of his Father in heauen: But they will anſwer, Whom ſhall I hold? what, he that is abſent? how ſhall I ſend vp my hand into heauen, that I may hold him there? (This is done ſpiritually not after a carnall manner,) Fidem mitte, & tenuiſti: Send thy faith (ſaith S. Auguſtine) and then thou haſt layed hold on Chriſt; thy forefathers did hold Chriſt in the fleſh, and doe thou hold him in thy heart, becauſe Chriſt abſent is alſo preſent. For except he were preſent he could not be holden of vsus; abſent in the fleſh in his humanitie, but preſent in his Deitie, preſent in his Spirit working faith and louelove in vsus, by which in a ſpirituall manner we may be vnited to Chriſt, though he be abſent; and lay hold of him, though he be in heauen: And thus (as plaine as I can) I hauehave ſet forth vntounto you both the ſubſtance and manner of our vnion with Chriſt.

If any man be in Chriſt. I hauehave laid the foundation of our vnion at large, I will once againe Catechiſe the point, in briefe, before I come to the vſe. That if it be poſsible, p. 56you may yet more plainely vnderſtand it. The queſtion Queſt. 1 may be demanded, if Chriſt be in vsus, how are we in Chriſt, or if we be in Chriſt, how is Chriſt in vsus? I anſwer, Anſw. Firſt, that Chriſt is in vsus, as the King is in his kingdome to rule ouer vsus; as the father of his family is in his houſehold, to ouerſee vsus; as the bridegroome is in the bride-chamber, to honour vsus; as the head is in the bodie, to guide and direct vsus in all our actions: but all this in a ſpirituall manner. Or otherwiſe, Chriſt is in vsus: Firſt, by faith and charitie, as a Sauiour in the hearts of thoſe that are ſaued: Secondly, by his ſpirit of vertue and grace, by which hee doth quicken, illuminate, feede, gouerne and conſerue his children. After the firſt manner one friend may bee in the breaſt of another, by affection and louelove; but after the ſecond, no mortall man can be in the heart of any man, but onelyonly Chriſt in vsus; which ſheweth the excellency of this heauenly vnion.

Queſt. 2 Secondly, How are we in Chriſt? I anſwer,Anſwere. we are in Chriſt not carnally neither, but after a ſpirituall manner. For although our bodies are not carnally in Chriſt, nor Chriſts in ours, yet ſpiritually we are vnited to Chriſt and Chriſt to vsus, we are one with Chriſt and Chriſt with vsus,In the Booke of Common Prayer, the exhortation at Communion. Hoſh. 2.19, 20. we dwell in Chriſt and Chriſt in vsus, (as our Church doth witnes:) and this in a more neere manner, as is admirably declared in that excellent vnion of the husband and wife. For Chriſt is our heauenly Bridegroome, and we are his Spouſe, Cant. 5.1, 2. He hath married vsus vntounto himſelfe in righteouſneſſe and in iudgement, and in louing kindneſſe, and in mercies, and in faithfulneſſe, and in the knowledge of the Lord: An excellent wedding ring, beſet with ſixe beautifull Diamonds, to illuſtrate that moſt gracious and glorious vnion betweene Chriſt and his Church.

Queſt. 3 But Chriſt is righteouſneſſe and life it ſelfe; in him is no ſinne, neither was death able to hold him in the priſon of the graue: How then is it poſsible that ſinfull man, who is ſubiect vntounto death by ſinne, ſhould any way p. 57be in Chriſt or Chriſt in him? Like thing are woont to be ioyned to like; but betweene ſo different and contrarie natures, what communion or fellowſhip is any where to be found? Are we in Chriſt as the creatures are in God? After this manner not only all men are in him; (For in him we liue, and mooue and hauehave our beeing. Acts 17.28.) but alſo all things that liue, (for hee is before all things, and in him all things conſiſt, Coloſſ. 1. verſe 7.) and this were a vnion common to wicked men, and to the brute beaſts, as well as to vsus.

How then are we in Chriſt? Queſt.

I anſwer, Anſw. wicked men hauehave not this vnion with Chriſt,Wicked men hauehave no vnion with Chriſt. (but only the elect,) no not ſo much as the vnion of nature; for howſoeuer in generall, in that Chriſt was truly man as they are, they may ſeeme to hauehave a kinde of communion; yet in this there is a maine difference, that Chriſt did not take vponupon him our humane nature corrupted and defiled with the pollution of ſinne,Auguſt. in Ioh. Sine peccato, ſine peccati macula. S. Bern, in vigil. Natiuit. ſerm. 4. Mater eſt ſine corruptione virginitatis, filius ſine omni labe peccati. Eſay, 53.9. but ſanctified and made moſt pure and holy in the wombe of the bleſſed Virgin, by the power of the diuine Spirit; he was conceiued without ſinne, and borne without the leaſt ſpot of iniquitie; he liued and dyed without ſinne, Neither was there any guile found in his mouth. The wicked therefore being conceiued in ſinne, and borne in ſinne, liuing and dying in ſinne, they can hauehave no vnion with Chriſt, neither in the qualitie of his nature nor in Grace. It is only the Elect who are purified by the blood of Chriſt, iuſtified by imputation of his merit, and ſanctified, and regenerated daily by the power of his Spirit, that hauehave this vnion and Communion with Chriſt; Hee that keepeth his commandements, dwelleth is him, and he in him; and hereby we know that he abideth in vsus, by the Spirit which he hath giuen vsus. 1. Ioh 3.24. If any man louelove me, he will keepe my words, and my Father will louelove him, and we will come vntounto him, and make our abode with him, Iohn 14.24. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus, who walke p. 58not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit. (Rom. 8.1.) who worketh a change in their hearts, and by ſteppes and degrees conformes them to the image of Chriſt; This vnion is a vnion of faith, by which our hearts are purified, Acts 15.9. which belongeth only to the Elect: and therefore to them onelyonly pertaineth this vnion, not barely as they are men, but Chriſtian men; not in reſpect of their generation, but regeneration; not according to the ſubſtance of the humane nature receiued from the firſt Adam, but according as it is renued with ſanctitie and heauenly puritie in the ſecond: by the power of whoſe Spirit dwelling in vsus, Our mortall bodies are quickened to n…wneſſe of life, Rom. 6.10, 11. And thus Chriſt is in vsus, not in the wicked: he is in vsus by an internall, a true and liuely co-adunation and vnion of the ſpirit, which conſiſts in a true and ſincere faith, and a true and vnfeined louelove, by which we are conformed to Chriſt our head; for by faith and louelove we are tranſlated into Chriſt, ſo that now we liue, no longer in our ſelues but in him: Our life is hid with Chriſt in God, Coloſſ. 3.3. I liue (ſaith the Apoſtle) yet not I, but Chriſt liueth in me; and the life which I now liue in the fleſh, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God, who loued me, and gaue himſelfe for me. Gal. 2.20. We liue not by our ſelues, but by Chriſt, who liueth in vsus; And therefore, firſt this is a moſt excellent benefit and comfort to the ſoule of a Chriſtian.

It is profitable for vsus that our life of grace is not in vsus, but in Chriſt.For if our ſpirituall life of grace were our own, and did conſiſt onelyonly in our ſelues, wee ſhould ſoone ſpend it like prodigals, and die that ſpirituall death, that brings death eternall, But our life being in Chriſt, and Chriſt in vsus, hauing once giuen this life of grace vntounto vsus, (for our eternall comfort in all temptations) he will neuer take this life totally and finally from vsus, but (though he may withdraw his breath for a time) yet he will returne, reuiue, and quicken vsus to life euerlaſting. And to this end Chriſt is in vsus by his Spirit, as the ſappe is in the tree; as the blood in the body, as the quickning Sonne of God, p. 59who is Lord both of life and death, who doth louelove his Elect with a perpetuall louelove, and hauing vnited once vntounto himſelf, doth keep and conſerue them, as his own foreuer.

Secondly, Ʋſe. 2 this vnion or marriage is made by the Spirit, vniting vsus vntounto Chriſt in faith and louelove. O moſt ſweet and happy change! Chriſt hath taken our fleſh, and inſtead thereof, he hath giuen vsus his bleſſed Spirit, by reaſon both he may be in and with vsus, and we in and with him; and what greater ioy can there be to the ſoule and conſcience of a Chriſtian, then to be in and with Chriſt his bleſſed Sauiour? As Simonides the Philoſopher, being asked of Hiero the Tyrant, what God was,Cicere de nat. Deor. lib. 1. did at the firſt deſire one dayes reſpite, and then two dayes, and after foure dayes, ſtill doubling his requeſt; and being demaunded the reaſon, gaue this for an anſwere: Becauſe the more (ſaith he) I doe conſider of the excellency of the eſſence, and power, and Maieſtie of God, the leſſe able am I to expreſſe it: So muſt I deſire time to ſet forth the excellency of this our vnion with Chriſt; it is like the peace of conſcience, there is no man knoweth what it is, but he that enioyeth it. If you would ſee it a little more, caſt your eies vponupon the benefit of it; and I hauehave giuen you already that our life of grace is in Chriſt, and conſerued by him. But this is a moſt excellent benefit, that from hence wee hauehave foreign, a Communion and Fellowſhip with Chriſt. God is faithfull, by whom yee were called foreign, into the Communion or Fellowſhip of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, 1 Cor. 1.9. And by this wee hauehave Communion, not onelyonly with his perſon, but we hauehave alſo Communion with him: Firſt in his Offices. He hath made vsus Kings and Prieſts vntounto God the Father, Reuel. 1.6.

Secondly, we hauehave Communion with him in his goods and gifts, and graces needfull for vsus to ſaluation, yea in all the benefits of his death and paſsion. He is made vntounto vsus of God, wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption, 1. Cor. 1.30.

p. 603Thirdly, we hauehave Communion and fellowſhip with him in temptation and affliction, and that for our good and comfort; becauſe Chriſt hath ſanctified them vntounto vsus. As the vnicorne dipping his horne in the water makes it wholeſome (though before it was poyſoned) for the beaſts that drinke after him; ſo Chriſt our Sauiour, teſting the cup of afflictions and temptations for vsus, hath made them wholeſome and profitable vntounto vsus. Yea Chriſt being our head, and we his members, he hauing a Communion with vsus, and we with him, he muſt needs hauehave a feeling of our infirmities, and therefore though we be tempted, yet will he not ſuffer vsus to bee tempted aboue that we are able, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that we may be able to beare it, as Saint Paul witneſſeth, 1. Cor. 10.13.

This is our ioy therefore, that though we be weake, yet Chriſt is ſtrong; His grace is ſufficient for vsus, and his ſtrength ſhall be made manifeſt in our weakeneſſe, 2. Cor. 2.9.

4Laſtly, as we hauehave Communion with Chriſt in afflictions ſo we ſhall hauehave Communion with him in glory. For if we be children, then heires, heires of God, and ioynt heires with Chriſt; if ſo be that we ſuffer with him, that we alſo be glorified together: yea ſaith Saint Paul, I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that ſhall be reueiled in vsus, Rom. 8.17.18. Thus we hauehave, and ſhall hauehave Communion with Chriſt, and this is the fruite of our vnion with him. Nay hence we hauehave not onelyonly a Communion with Chriſt, but with God the Father,1. Ioh. 1.3. 2. Cor. 13.14. Eph. 4.5.6. Gal. 3 26. Heb. 12.22, 23, 24.1 John 1:32 Cor 13:14Eph 4:5Eph 4:6Gal 3:26Heb 12:22Heb 12:23Heb 12:24 with the bleſſed Spirit, and (with the congregation of Saints, yea of Angels and men, the Church militant and tryumphant, as in diuers places of the ſacred Scripture is ſufficiently prooued.

And thus you may ſee the excellent ſtate of a Chriſtian, the excellent benefit of our vnion, this moſt happy Communion which is a fruite of it, and the vnſpeakeable louelove of Chriſt in thus freely vniting vsus vntounto himſelfe. But p. 61what is the ſtate of thoſe that are out of Chriſt? Queſtion. I anſwer, Anſwere. they hauehave no part in this bleſſed Communion, therefore their eſtate is miſerable, fearefull and damnable,3. To be out of Chriſt is a miſerable eſtate. except they repent, and Chriſt of his mercy ingraft them into him, For he that is not in Chriſt, Chriſt is not in him, and, Know yee not? ſaith the Apoſtle, that Chriſt Ieſus dwelleth in you except ye be reprobates? 2. Cor. 13.2. Cor. 13.5.2 Cor 13:5 Without Chriſt, no grace nor goodneſſe to bee found in them. If Chriſt dwell not in their hearts by faith, Satan will dwell by infidelity: If Chriſt dwell not by charitie, the deuill will dwell by malice and enuy. If Chriſt doe not poſſeſſe them by Humility, Satan will poſſeſſe them by pride. If the one be not in them by mercy, the other will bee in them by cruelty: if Chriſt doe not worke in them a conſcience of chaſtity, liberality, piety, purity, and other vertues, Satan will drawe them to adultery, couetouſneſſe, oppreſſion, Symonie, ſacriledge and all kind of impiety. For where the ſpirit of truth is not a directer to goodnes, there will the ſpirit of errour be a leader to wickedneſſe, drawing his diſciples through the pathes of darkeneſſe to the pit of deſtruction. As is a Citie beſieged without walls or munition, ſo is a man without Chriſt eaſily ouercome of the enemie, and bound to eternall thraldome; he is like a withered branch, that ſhall be cut off and caſt into the fire of hell, Ioh. 15.6.4. Vnion with Chriſt requireth a Chriſtian life.

O then beloued, how are we bound to ſhew our thankfulneſſe to God, for this our moſt ioyfull and happy vnion with Chriſt, ſince he hath made vsus freely to be Chriſtians, and engraffed vsus into Chriſt! By faith wee ſhould ſtriue continually to liue like Chriſtians, like thoſe that hauehave a vnion and Communion with Chriſt. The Apoſtle in my Text doth deſcribe the ſtate and condition of a Chriſtian, and yet he doth not ſay, if any man be a Chriſtian, he is a new creature, but, If any man be in Chriſt, to ſhew that Chriſtianum eſſe, eſt eſſe in Chriſto, to bee a Chriſtian,Muſculus in Text. is to be in Chriſt; and to be in Chriſt, is to liue the life of p. 62Chriſt, and to be made like to him, in whom we liue. Whoſoeuer is without Chriſt, and doth not endeauour ſincerely to liue the life of Chriſt, hee is no true Chriſtian, though he make an outward profesſion of Chriſtianity; it is an eaſie matter to be made partaker of the externall ſacraments and name of a Chriſtian, but not ſo eaſie thus to be in Chriſt; for this requireth newneſſe of life (as I ſhall ſhew at large in the next circumſtance.) If then thou wouldeſt know a Chriſtian, or know thy ſelfe to be in Chriſt, looke not to the externall and verball profeſsion, but ſearch into thy owne conſcience,Ioh. 5.5.6. M. Hooker Eccleſiaſt. policie, booke 5. pag. 306.John 5:5John 5:6 and looke to the reall and actuall life of a Chriſtian. No man actually is in Chriſt, but he in whom Chriſt is actually, and in whom the life of Chriſt, or of grace and newneſſe, from Chriſt doth appeare: he that hath not the ſonne, hath not life; and he that hath not life, the life of grace, wee may truely ſay, he hath not the ſonne. The bird is knowne by her ſinging, the tree is knowne by his fruits, and a Chriſtian is known by his life and conuerſation. He is pure by imputation of puritie from the merits of Chriſt; and he is pure by the grace of regeneration wrought in him by the holy and bleſſed ſpirit: for the perfection at which hee ſtriues and labours truely according to the meaſure of that grace which is giuen vntounto him, and the effects of this purity, is like a burning lampe ſhining forth gloriouſly in all his actions; it is holineſſe it ſelfe, and not the name of holineſſe that makes a Chriſtian. How then canſt thou be called a Chriſtian, in whom no acts of a Chriſtian doe appeare? ſaith S. Auguſtine S. Aug. de vita Chriſtianaof the life of a Chriſtian. Chriſtianus nomen iuſtitiae eſt, Chriſtian, is a name of righteouſnes, of integrity, innocency, chaſtity, humility, humanity, patience, prudence, purity, piety and other vertues: and how canſt thou challenge that name vntounto thee, in whom of ſo many vertues, ſo few are to be found? He is a Chriſtian who is ſo not in name onelyonly,Aug. in Pſal. 33.Ps 33 but alſo indeed: he is a Chriſtian that accounteth himſelfe to bee a ſtranger in p. 63his owne houſe; for here we are pilgrimes, our countrey is in heauen, and there we ſhall be no ſtrangers, but citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God.Aug. de vita Chriſt. Chriſtianus vnctus eſt (ſaith S. Auguſtine) Chriſtian is as much as annoynted, and the learned know that in ancient time, thoſe who were annoynted, were Holy men, Kings, and Prieſts, and Prophets, of an high and holy calling; and thus was Chriſt himſelfe annoynted ſpiritually,Pſal. 45.7.Ps 45:7 and his Diſciples and all Chriſtians. To teach vsus, that to whom there is ſo holy an annoynting, there ſhould alſo be a holy life and conuerſation; for what will it profite thee to be callled what thou art not, and to vſurpe a name that belongs not vntounto thee? But if thou delight to be a Chriſtian, do thoſe things that are fitting for a Chriſtian, & then take the name vponupon thee to thy comfort: it is a name that is ancient (giuen long ſince at Antioch) and honourable better then the names of any other maſter whatſoeuer;Act. 11.26.Acts 11:26 thou mayeſt reioyce therefore in the rightfull enioying of it; but if otherwiſe thou deſire to bee called a Chriſtian, and not to be ſo, this is a puniſhment miſerable and deteſtable enough, that thou deſireſt to be an hypocrite, and to be called that thou art not: for no man can hauehave any benefit by Chriſt, who will be called a Chriſtian, and not ſtriue and labour to be a Chriſtian in deede.True Chriſtians imitate the life of Chriſt. Let no man then iudge himſelfe to be a Chriſtian, who doth not truely endeauour to imitate Chriſt in purity of life. Excellently S. Bernard. S. Bern. lib. ſent pag. 496.Chriſtiani a Chriſto nomen acceperunt, & operae pretium eſt, vt ſicut ſunt haeredes nominis, ita ſint imitatores ſanctitatis; Chriſtians receiue their names from Chriſt, and it is worth the labour, that as they are heires of his name, ſo they ſhould bee imitatours of his holineſſe. Art thou a couetous man that makeſt thy mony thy God? thou art a Chriſtian but onelyonly in name, and thy mony ſhall not profite thee in the day of vengeance. A…t thou a voluptuous man that makeſt thy pleaſure …hy God? thou art not a Chriſtian but onelyonly in name, and thy p. 64pleaſure ſhall not profite thee in the day of vengeance. Art thou a blaſphemer, that delighteſt in wicked & damnable oathes? Thou art not a Chriſtian but only in name, and thy oathes ſhall condemne thee in the day of vengeance. Art thou a glutton or drunkard that delighteſt in drunkenneſſe, and makeſt thy wine or thy belly thy God? Thou art a Chriſtian but onelyonly in name, and thy abuſe of Gods creatures ſhall certainly condemne thee in the day of vengeance. To conclude, art thou hard-hearted, and makeſt no conſcience of ſpoyling thy brother, by deceite and fraud, by robbery and violence, by oppreſsion and cruelty? S. Auguſtine S. Auguſt. de verb. Apoſt. ſer. 21.will tell thee, Cum tu qui Chriſtianus es ſpolias paganum, impedis fieri Chriſtianum: When thou who art a Chriſtian (by profesſion) doſt ſpoyle a Pagan, thou doeſt hinder thy ſelfe from being a Chriſtian; and more art thou hindred if thou beeing a Chriſtian doeſt ſpoyle thy brother, and thy Hypocriſie ſhall one day condemne thee. All theſe doe diſhonour Chriſt; and ſeparate themſelues from him by their wilfull impieties, and therfore except they repent, they cannot be ſaued. Excellent was the example of famous Iulitta that bleſſed Martyr and ſeruant of Chriſt (of whom S. Baſil S. Baſil. in ſer.relates in his ſermons) who when ſhe was condemned to death by her Pagan Iudges, becauſe ſhe would not worſhip their heatheniſh gods; hearing her ſentence ſhe brake foorth with this Chriſtian reſolution, Farewell life, welcome death; farewell riches, welcome pouertie: All that I hauehave, if it were a thouſand times more, would I rather looſe, then to ſpeake one wicked and blaſphemous word againſt God my Creator. An excellent reſolution, and fit to bee followed of eueryevery Chriſtian. Wee ſhould walke worthy our vocation, and hauehave our conuerſation as becommeth the Goſpell of Chriſt; we ſhould loſe our riches, our honours, yea our life and all, rather then diſhonour Chriſt our Lord and Sauiour. And that we may the better doe this, I will end this part, with that excellent counſell p. 65of S. Bernard: Bern in Cant. ſerm. 21.Diſce O Chriſtiane a Chriſto, quemadmodum diligas Chriſtum. Learne O Chriſtian of Chriſt, how thou maiſt louelove Chriſt; learne to louelove him ſweetly, to louelove him prudently, to louelove him valiantly: Sweetly, leſt thou be entiſed from him by pleaſure; prudently, leſt thou be deceiued by Satans policy; and valiantly, leſt being oppreſſed by afflictions, or temptations, thou bee auerted from the louelove of thy Sauiour. Zelum tuum inflammet, charitas, informet ſcientia, firmet conſtanta: Let his charity inflame thy zeale, let his knowledge informe thy zeale, and let his conſtancy confirme thy zeale in conſtancy vntounto the end. Thus ſhalt thou ſhew thy ſelfe to bee a Chriſtian, and rightly enioy the Name of Chriſt.

And thus hauing pricked the Vine (who is Chriſt) and ſucked out ſome iuyce to cleare the eyes of our vnderſtandings, and refreſh our ſpirits: Let vsus now come to preſſe the grapes, that from them we may receiue a draught of ſweet comfort, to ſtrengthen vsus in our pilgrimage, through the wilderneſſe of this world, to the Canaan of heauen. Theſe grapes are the fruite of the Vine to be found in our new Creation. Jf any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature.

This is a great myſtery and therefore to ſpeake of this my requeſt vntounto you, ſhalbe that,3. Branch. S. Bern. ſerm. 36. …n Cant. which S. Bernard ſometime made to his Auditors; Juuate me orationibus veſtris, vt ſemper poſsim & loqui quae oportet, & opere implere quae loquor: Helpe me with your prayers, that I may be able to ſpeake thoſe things which I ought, and to practiſe that which I ſpeake: Thus I ſpeaking, you vnderſtandding, and both of vsus practiſing,Beza. Annotat in 2 Cor. 5. Aquinas in …pheſ cap 4.23 Aquinas in in 2 Cor. 5. Regen…ration a new Creation.2 Cor 5 wee ſhall receiue the Crowne of glory in the end.

In the Originall it is foreign, A new Creation, that is, as it were a thing newly Created of God, (as Beza ſoundly:) For we are re-created in our new Creation, that we might be righteous (as Aquinas.) So that our regeneration or renouation in Chriſt, is a new Creation: For p. 66Creation is a motion, ex nihilo ad eſſe, from nothing, vntounto ſomething, from no being, vntounto a being. And there is a two-fold being, the firſt of nature, the ſecond of grace; the firſt was in the firſt Creation, when the Creatures were produc…d by God of nothing, in eſſe naturae, into the being of nature and then the creature was new, but ſince it became old by ſinne. And therfore it was needfull that there ſhould be a new Creation, in eſſe gratiae, into the being of grace. And this was creatio ex nihilo, a creation of nothing alſo; for thoſe that are depriued of grace, are nothing; and thoſe who are polluted with ſinne, are as nothing; Sinne doth ſo obliterate and blot out the image of God in them,Auguſt. Peccatum nihil eſt & nihil fiunt homines cum peccant. Bellar. in Pſal. 51.10. 2 No newneſſe to man, but in and by Chriſt.Ps 51:10Ps 51:2 that it makes them of no abilitie to doe good, of no account in the eyes of God: for ſinne is nothing; and men when they ſinne are made as nothing (yea worſe then nothing) as S. Auguſtine ſpeakes.

If then man be as nothing by ſinne: If (as Bellarmine againſt himſelfe confeſſeth) when God was to new make man, and the heart of man, he could find nothing in man of which he might make him new, but was as it were conſtrained Creare to Create, that is, ex nihilo aliquid facere, to make ſomething of nothing, (from which (ſaith Bellarmine) it is euident that man cannot merit being iuſtified freely by grace:) If I ſay this be the ſtate of man before he be new created.Tollet. in Iohan, 15. Then how can that Pelagian, or ſemi-Pelagian Doctrine be iuſtified; the one affirming, that although the grace of Chriſt was neceſſary that we might doe good more eaſily, yet it was not ſimply needfull, but that the free will of man was able of it ſelfe to doe workes acceptable to God:B…za Annot. in Text. Auguſtin. The other teaching, that we are aſsiſted onelyonly by the firſt grace to riſe from ſinne? whereas not onelyonly the faculty of willing, but alſo the volition or willing it ſelfe, is this foreign, this new Creation; ſince they are both old by ſinne, and both made new by God in Chriſt. Jt is God that worketh in vsus both the will and the deed, Philip. 2.13. Yea, both in the p. 67faculty and act of willing, we are dead by nature, and in both, we are made aliue by grace. We were dead in treſpaſſes and in ſinnes, Epheſ. 2.5. And our Sauiour did not ſay, without me, can ye not doe any thing eaſily, or ye can do no great worke, but ſimply, Without me can ye do neither ſmall nor great, neither eaſie nor difficult: No manner of way are you able of your ſelues to doe any good worke acceptable to God. Without me, can yee doe nothing (ſaith Chriſt.) Iohn. 15.5.Auguſtin. lib. 1. de gratia Chriſti contra Celeſtin. & Pellag. cap. 29. Auguſt. lib. 2. contra 2. Epiſt. Pelagianas. caep. 9. And thus S. Auguſtine applyeth that place. And the ſame Father in his ſecond Booke againſt the two Epiſtles of Pelagius, Bonum propoſitum quidem adiuuat ſubſequens gratia, ſed nec ipſum eſſet niſi praecederet gratia. True it is (ſaith he) that the ſubſequent grace of Chriſt doth helpe our good purpoſe or deſire to doe good, but neither would this good purpuſe be, except there went a precedent grace before; There is a preuenting Grace, and an aſsiſting Grace, and qui praeuenit nolentem vt velit, Auguſt in Luc 24.Luke 24ſubſequitur volentem ne fruſtra velit: Hee that preuenteth the vnwilling with his grace that hee might will, aſsiſteth him alſo with his grace that he might not will in vaine.Auguſt. de gratia & lib… ro arbitrio. c. 2. And therefore he concludeth in his booke of Grace and Free will: True it is, that our will is required to doe good, but we hauehave not that will of our owne ſtrength, but God worketh in vsus, both the will, and the deed, according to the Apoſtle.Philip. 2 13.Phil 2:13 And the ſame Father againe: The will of the regenerate is kindled and ſtirred vp by the bleſſed Spirit.Auguſt. de corrupti…ne & g…atia. That therefore they are able (to do good) becauſe they will (and deſire) and therefore they ſo will, becauſe God worketh in them that they might will. So that as a Lanthorne cannot giuegive light of it ſelfe, except it hauehave a Candle lighted therein, or as the branches cannot beare fruit, except they abide in the Vine, and the life of the Vine abide in them: No more can we doe good, except Ch…iſt dw…ll in vsus by his Spirit, giuing life and light vntounto vsus, and wee dwell in Chriſt by Faith. If any man bee in Chriſt, hee is a p. 68new Creatures. Againe, man in his ſtate of nature, being brought as it were to nothing, and worſe then nothing by ſinne:

Hence it is euident that our ſecond Creation was a greater worke then our firſt;2. Our ſecond Creation a greater worke then our firſt. For in our firſt Creation, there was nothing to hinder the worke of God, Dixit, & facti ſumus; God did but ſpeake the word, and wee were created; but in our ſecond Creation, Ponitur obex, there is a reſiſting peruerſneſſe in our will, ſtriuing to hinder the worke of Grace; yea, the ground of this newneſſe, our redemption by Chriſt, coſt a great deale of labour before it was finiſhed: Et dixit multa, & geſſit mira, & pertulit dura (ſaith S. Bernard: S. Bernard. Tract. de diligendo deum.) Hee ſpake many things, and did maruellous things, and endured terrible things, and all to purchaſe our new Creation. We were not ſo eaſily remade, as we were made at firſt; the worke of our Recreation coſt our Sauiour a great price, the price of his deare and precious blood, and that not once or twiſe, but ſixe ſeuerall times. As the Pellican ſheds her blood to reuiue her yong ones; ſo did Chriſt ſhed his blood to reuiue vsus. He ſhed his blood in his Circumciſion; in his bitter Agony in the Garden; in his Crowning with thornes; in his Whipping with ſcourges; in his Crucifying with nailes; in the Piercing of his ſide with a ſpeare, that the deareſt blood of his moſt precious heart guſhed out amaine. O ſweet Ieſus, how comes this to paſſe? Did we owe God a death, and doeſt thou pay it? HaueHave wee ſinned, and art thou puniſhed?D. Bern. in ſerm. Opus ſine exemplo, gratia ſine merito, charitas ſine modo: as a Father ſweetly; This was a worke without any example; a grace without any merit of ours, and a louelove beyond all louelove that can be imagined. I owe thee much more, O Lord, ſaith S. Ambroſe, S. Ambroſ. in Luc. lib. 22.for thy iniuries by which I was redeemed, then for thy worke by which I was created.

What then ſhall we render vntounto thee, O bleſſed Sauiour, for this thy vnſpeakeable louelove? In our firſt Creation, thou p. 69gaueſt vsus vntounto our ſelues, but in our ſecond Creation, thou diddeſt giuegive thy ſelfe vntounto vsus; and when thou gaueſt thy ſelfe vntounto vsus, thou diddeſt then re-giuegive vsus vntounto our ſelues; And therefore being twiſe giuen; giuen in our firſt Creation, and regiuen in our ſecond, we doe owe our ſelues twiſe vntounto thee, both bodies and ſoules; and though we ſhould giuegive our ſelues ten times for this, yet can we by no meanes ſatisfie thy louelove. But what then ſhall we giuegive thee for thy ſelfe, that thou haſt not ſpared thine owne life, but haſt giuen thy ſelfe to the death for vsus? Certainely if we could giuegive thee our ſelues ten thouſand times for this, yet are we nothing in reſpect of thee, who art the eternall God, and wee but duſt and aſhes.

O then beloued, what ſhall we render vntounto Chriſt,3. The price of our new creation, a motiue to be a new Creature. for giuing himſelfe vntounto vsus, and vsus vntounto our ſelues? or what doth he require at our hands? Certainly, it is nothing but this, that we ſhould labour to be new creatures, ſince he hath paide ſo deere for our new creation: Dominus factus eſt ſervus, vt ſervus fieret dominus; the Lord himſelfe became a ſeruant, that we who were ſeruants might be made Lords: God deſcended from heauen vntounto earth, that man might aſcend from earth to heauen: the Sonne of God, was made the ſonne of man, that men might be made the ſonnes of God: he that was rich became poore, that we who were poore, might bee made rich: the light it ſelfe was darkened, that we who were darke might be enlightened; the Bread of heauen did ſuffer hunger, that we might be ſatisfied; the Fountaine of liuing water endured thirſt, that we might drinke of the fountaine of life; Gladneſſe it ſelfe was made ſorrowfull, that we might reioyce; Confidence it ſelfe did feare and tremble, that we might be ſtrengthened; the Way to heauen was made wearie, that wee without wearineſſe might goe to heauen. All this did Chriſt for vsus, and ſhall we not ſtriue to be new creatures?

p. 70Chriſt came a Phyſitian vntounto thoſe that were ſicke, a redeemer vntounto thoſe that were loſt, a directing way vntounto thoſe that erred, and life it ſelfe vntounto thoſe that were dead; and ſhall we not ſtriue to be new creatures? Chriſt came as Manna from heauen, that thoſe might reioyce who were hungry; as a cluſter of grapes from the vineyard, that thoſe might reioyce who where thirſtie; as oyle powred out in abundance from the oliue, that thoſe might be cheriſhed who were in miſery; and ſhall we not ſtriue to be new creatures? He came as a pretious ſtone cut without hands from the mountaine;Dan. 2.34.Dan 2:34 that thoſe might feare who were careleſſe and negligent; and ſhall we not ſtriue to be new creatures? As God the Father did create all things in the beginning with his eſſentiall word, ſo hath he re-created all his Elect by his incarnate Word, in the end of the world; and ſhall we not ſtriue to be new creatures? As S. Auguſtine obſerues of a Rhetorician, that being asked what was the firſt and chiefeſt amongſt the precepts of Rhetoricke, he anſwered Eloquution (or good vtterance:) and being asked what was the ſecond, he anſwered Eloquution, and what was the third, he anſwered ſtill Eloquution. After the ſame manner (ſaith the Father) if you aske me what is the firſt, or the ſecond, or the third amongſt the precepts of Chriſtian religion, I muſt anſwer Humilitie. And what S. Auguſtine Auguſt. epiſt. 56, ad Dioſcor.attributes to Humilitie in the praiſe and commendations thereof, I may iuſtly attribute to our new creation, and to the dignitie and excellency of that. If you aske me what is the firſt, or the ſecond, or the third, amongſt the precepts of Chriſtian religion: I muſt anſwer in the words of my Text, foreign, our new creation, to be regenerated and become new men in Chriſt: For without this new creation, there is no freedome from damnation, no happines to be obtained; for if any man be in (and will hauehave benefit by the death of) Chriſt, he is and muſt be a new creature; O then, beloued, let vsus ſtriue and labour for this new creation; p. 71let vsus not reſt in our ſelues, till we finde a change in our ſoules, and become new men in Chriſt. Thus if wee doe, happie and bleſſed ſhall we be. If any man be in Chriſt, he in a new creature.

But that I may explicate this point a little vntounto you: Who are thoſe that are new created, or to whom doth Ques;t. 1 this new creation belong?

I anſwer, To thoſe that are in Chriſt: If any bee in Chriſt, ſaith my Text;Anſw. New Creation is of the Elect. To thoſe who in him were choſen before the foundation of the world, that they ſhould bee holy and without blame before him in louelove, Eph. 1. verſe 4. To thoſe who are of the Election of grace, to whom is giuen the knowledge and faith of Chriſt;Epheſ. 4.20.Eph 4:20 for they onelyonly are regenerated, and ſo new created who hauehave faith, becauſe regeneration is a fruit of faith, Acts 15.9. and this hauehave only the Elect, Tit. 1.1. they only are called and iuſtified, and ſo ſanctified, who were predeſtinated before of God. Rom. 8.30. And therefore to them onelyonly belongs this grace: and they either hauehave or ſhall hauehave it, when it ſhall pleaſe God to call them, (either at the firſt, or third, or ninth, or eleuenth houre, either in their youth or middle age, or olde age) and to ſend them into his vineyard, Matth. 20.Math. 20.1, 2, 3.Matt 20:1Matt 20:2Matt 20:3 A comfort to thoſe who finde but the beginnings of this grace in them; it is the gift of God, a ſigne of their Election: and God will in time perfect it, for the gifs and calling of God are without repentance. Rom. 11.29 Phil. 1.6.Rom 11:29Phil 1:6And He that hath begun a good worke, will perfect it in his children (ſaith the bleſſed Apoſtle.) Yea whom God loueth, he loueth to the end, as Chriſt himſelfe witneſſeth.Ioh. 13.1.John 13:1 So that our regeneration being the worke of God the Father, in Chriſt, by the holy Spirit; as he hath begun, ſo at the laſt he will wholly conforme vsus to the image of Chriſt, in whom wee hauehave obtained an inheritance, being predeſtinated according to the good purpoſe of him, who worketh all things after the Counſell of his owne will, Epheſ. 1.11. If any p. 72man be in Chriſt, or thoſe that are in Chriſt, they are, or ſhall be wholly new creatures.

Ques;t. 2 But ſecondly what is this new creation of the elect? or what is it to be a new creature?

Anſwere. What is our new creation. Ioel 2.12.Joel 2:12Our new creation is a new reſurrection; for as Chriſt after his death did riſe againe vntounto a new life, ſo a Chriſtian, being buried with Chriſt in Baptiſme, being waſhed from his ſinnes by the blood of Chriſt, being watered with the teares of a true and vnfeined repentance, doth riſe againe to newneſſe of life; and this is our new creation. For as the death of Chriſt was an image of our ſpirituall death vntounto ſinne, ſo was his reſurrection, a type of our ſpirituall riſing againe to newneſſe of life. Thus S. Auguſtine in his Enchiridion:S. Auguſt. Enchiridion. cap. 53. Whatſoeuer is done, in the croſſe of Chriſt, in the buriall of Chriſt, in his aſcenſion, in his ſeſsion at the right of his Father; it was ſo done that in theſe things there might be ſignified, the life of a Chriſtian which is acted vponupon the earth. To manifeſt this further,S. Auguſt. de Tempore. the ſame Father obſerues a three-fold Natiuitie: The firſt of Adam, when he was created of the duſt of the earth; the ſecond of Eue, when ſhe was made of the ribbe of Adam; the third of Chriſt, when he was borne of the bleſſed Virgin, all different one from the other. And to theſe I may adde a fourth kinde, which is as much different as the reſt, and this is the ſpirituall new birth, both of ſoule and body, of which our Sauiour ſpeaketh, Iohn 3.7. Maruaile not that I ſaid, ye muſt be borne againe: in your firſt birth, you were polluted by ſinne; in your ſecond therefore you muſt be purified by grace: your firſt birth was of the fleſh, in which you were dead in ſinne; your ſecond birth muſt be of the ſpirit, in which you are made aliue vntounto God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. And Except ye be borne of water and the Spirit, ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. Ioh. 3.5. Our new creation then is a certaine ſpirituall change or new birth, p. 73of our vnderſtandings, of our wils, of our affections, and of all our actions; for in this our vnderſtandings are inlightened, our wils are rectified, our affections ſanctified, and all our actions directed to the will and command of God. The whole man is regenerated, not his ſoule alone, nor his body alone, but both ſoule and body together: For all was polluted by ſinne in Adam, and all muſt be renued by grace in Chriſt. Create in mee a cleane heart, Eph. 4.23. A totall regeneration required in vsus. Pſal 52.23. Rom. 2.24. Pſal. 39.1. Iam. 3.10. Ma…th. 5.34. Pſal. 59 7, 8. Luk. 9.5. Iam. 1.18, 19. Iam. 1.22. 2. Pet. 2.14. Pſal. 119.37. Matth. 5.28. Iob 31.1. Ioſhua 7.25. Eph. 4.28. Prou. 6.17. Deut. 27.26. Prou. 6.18. Pſal. 1.1. Pſal. 119.32. Math. 15 19. Tit…s 2.12. Iam. 1 15.Eph 4:23Ps 52:23Rom 2:24Ps 39:1Jas 3:10Ps 59:7Ps 59:8Luke 9:5Jas 1:18Jas 1:19Jas 1:222 Pet 2:14Ps 119:37Matt 5:28Job 31:1Josh 7:25Eph 4:28Prov 6:17Deut 27:26Prov 6:18Ps 1:1Ps 119:32Matt 15:19Jas 1:15O God, and renue a right ſpirit, ſaith Dauid. Pſal. 51.10. And be renued in the ſpirit of your minde, ſaith the Apoſtle: Heart and minde, body and ſpirit, all muſt be new created if we be in Chriſt. This perfect regeneration then is to be laboured for; we muſt be changed outwardly, in our tongues that they ſpeake not wickedly by blaſphemie towards God, nor euill towards our neighbour: In our eares, that they be not hardened to good and delighted with euill, but ſwift to heare the word of truth to practiſe it, that the life of grace may be preſerued in vsus: In our eyes, that they be not full of adulterie; and to preuent this, that they behold not vanitie to luſt after it; wee ſhould make a couenant with our eyes as Iob did, leaſt they bring vsus to miſerie, like Achan and his family. In our Hands that they ſteale not, that they ſhed not innocent blood, that they worke no iniquitie, leaſt the reward of wickedneſſe light vponupon vsus. In our Feete that they make not haſte to euill, that they walke not in the way of the wicked, but be ready to runne the waies of Gods commandements. We muſt be changed inwardly in our hearts, leaſt impietie ſlow from them; yea in our affections and deſires, leaſt luſt when it is conceiued bring forth ſinne, and ſinne when it is finiſhed bringeth forth death. This is the change that is required, and that not in part but totall. As the eſſentiall parts of man muſt bee changed, his ſoule and body; ſo his integrall parts, his ſeuerall members: not part of them, the eye alone, nor the hand alone, nor the foote alone, but altogether, eueryevery p. 74one in particular. And ſo not ſome part of the heart, but the whole heart, all the affections, all the deſires of the ſoule:Prou. 23.26.Prov 23:26 My ſonne giuegive me thy heart. For turne vntounto me with all thy heart, is the Plat-forme of this new creation giuen by the Prophet, Ioel 2.1.12. This ſhould all labour for and that in perfection, that they may bee truly conformed to the image of Chriſt.To be content with halfe newnes is worthy reproofe. Heb. 3.12.Heb 3:12 And yet ſome, yea too many there are, who liue in the Church, and thinke themſelues to be in Chriſt; and yet harbour in them an euill heart to depart away from the liuing God, imagining that God requireth not this perfection, this totall regeneration to be in them: they thinke if their hands bee pure, their feete may lawfully be defiled with ſinne. But if Chriſt waſh not their feete alſo,Ioh. 13.8.John 13:8 they ſhall hauehave no part in him: if they ſtriue not for this totall new birth, they cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. They will be contented with wicked Saul, and the diſobedient Iſraelites to performe part of Gods commandements, ſo they may let part of them alone; this totall obedience, they cannot endure. They can bee contented to deſtroy the common people of the Amalekites, 1. Sam. 15.8, 9.1 Sam 15:81 Sam 15:9and the worſt of the ſheepe and of the oxen; they can be contented to forſake ſome of their pettie ſinnes, which are not ſo profitable nor pleaſurable vntounto them; But when they come to Agag the king of Amaleck, and to the beſt of their ſheepe, when they come to their kingly ſinne (be it drunkenneſſe, or adulterie, couetouſneſſe, or enuy or the like,) when they come to their Delilah the ſweete ſin in which their ſoule delighteth; they can by no meanes endure a change in this, here no new creation muſt worke vponupon them; it is a ſtring that muſt not be touched, a ſoare muſt not be ſearched: or if it be, it makes them kicke like a galled horſe, and procures harſh muſicke to their ſoules; they take him for no friend that telles them of it, yea they are angry with God that he hath made his Law againſt it; and yet for all this ſecret impietie, they will be p. 75called Chriſtians, and make an outward ſhew of holineſſe in their liues. But tell mee whoſoeuer thou art, doſt thou thinke thou canſt come with a harlots countenance, wiping thy lippes, Prou. 30.20.Prov 30:20when thou h…ſte beene a whooring, to meete thy entiſing louers (the world, the fleſh, or the Diuell) and ſtand before Chriſt thy ſpirituall husband without bluſhing, ſince thou canſt not doe any thing ſo ſecretly, but he ſeeth thee?Prou. 5.21.Prov 5:21 For the wayes of man are before the Lord, and he pondereth all his doings, Prou. 5.21. If thou ſhouldeſt know that thy owne wife hath plaied the Harlot, or is eſtranged from thee in her affections and louelove to another man, ſo that her ſhew of louelove and kindneſſe to thee is but in hypocriſie, leaſt thou ſhouldeſt ſuſpect her treachery to thee: If thou ſhouldeſt ſee her often meetings with him whom thy ſoule hateth, with thy deadly enemie, wouldeſt thou take it kindly at her hands, or thinke her a faithfull wife vntounto thee? wouldeſt thou embrace her in thy armes? or ſet her as a ſeale vponupon thy heart, though ſhe loued but one beſides thee? What woman would doe ſo to ſuch an husband? or what husband to ſuch a wife? I appeale then to thy owne conſcience; How canſt thou thinke that Chriſt will looke well vponupon thee, if thou goe a whoring after any one ſinne, and againſt thy conſcience liue in any one impiety, which thou knowſt his ſoule hateth? His pure eie cānot endure to beholde any wickedneſſe,2 Cor. 6.15.2 Cor 6:15 neith r ſhall any euill dwell with him. What fellowſhip hath light with darkeneſſe, or Chriſt with Belial, or thy Sauiour with ſinne, that once coſt him the price of his owne blood? Oh then whoſoeuer thou art, waſh thy heart,Ier. 4.15.Jer 4:15 and thy whole heart trom wickedneſſe, that thou maieſt bee ſaued. If thy eye offend thee, or hinder thee from this change, that is, any thing as deare to thee as the apple of thine eye, plucke it out from thy heart and caſt it from thee. It is better, ſaith Chriſt, to enter into heauen with one eye,Ma…. 5 29. then hauing two to be caſt into the fire of hell. It is a fearefull thing p. 76to liue in any knowne ſinne, it maketh thy perſon and thy prayer abhominable in the ſight of God, Eſa. 1.15. Striue therefore earneſtly, and without hypocriſie for this totall change. Shake off the fetters of thy beloued ſinne; (for I ſpeake to thee that haſt the beginning of grace in thee, and a change in ſome meaſure wrought vponupon thee) and pray earneſtly vntounto God; and I will pray for thee with the bl…ſſed Apoſtle, That the very God of peace may ſanctifie thee wholly, 1. Theſ. 5.23.1 Thess 5:23and that thy whole ſpirit and ſoule and body, may be preſerued blameleſſe vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Thus ſhalt thou be happy in the change. And thus being a new man in Chriſt, thou ſhalt be vnited vntounto Chriſt to the eternall ioy of thy ſoule. If any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature.

S. Bern. in ſe…t.There was a threefolde change in Chriſt; the firſt of ſublimity, into humility, when the eternall Word of the Father, became fleſh, and tooke our nature vponupon him: the ſecond, of contemptibility into maieſtie, when the man Chriſt, who was then deſpiſed in the eyes of the world, was gloriouſly transfigured before his diſciples: the third of mutability, into eternity, when riſing from the dead, he aſcended into heauen, to raigne in glory for euermore. And like vntounto this, there is a threefold change in man.A threefolde change in man. The firſt, was the change of Adams glorious innocency in Paradiſe, into the deformity of ſinne and wickedneſſe; the ſecond is the change out of the ſtate of nature and naturall corruption, into the ſtate of grace and regeneration in Chriſt, (and this is meant in my Text.) The third and laſt is the change of this ſtate of grace, into the ſtate of glory and happineſſe for euermore; and this ſhall bee at the r…ſurrection. Adams fall was a change; our reſurrection ſhall bee a change;3. Queſt. Anſw. God the author of our re-creation. and our new creation is alſo a change. But who is the authour of this change? The anſwer is giuen by the Apoſtle in the next verſe to my Text, All things are of God; and therfore our new creation is not of our ſelues. It is the worke of God the Father, p. 77in the Sonne, and by the bleſſed Spirit: For wee are his workemanſhip, created in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto good workes, which God hath before ordained that we ſhould walk in them, Eph. 2.10. We are the worke of God in Chriſt, and by the ſpirit: For according to his mercy he ſaueth vsus, by the waſhing of regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghoſt, Tit. 3.5.1. Pet. 1.23.1 Pet 1:23 Thus inwardly; and outwardly by the word & the Sacrament, by which the ſpirit doth beget & increaſe this newneſſe in vsus. No creature in the world can worke this miracle, this new birth more ſtrange then the ſeuen wonders of the world; Thou art created, thou art healed,S. Bern. de graetia & liber arbitr. thou art ſaued, but which of all theſe is from thee oh man? Thou couldeſt not create thy ſelfe when thou waſt not; thou couldeſt not iuſtifie thy ſelfe when thou waſt a ſinner, and worſe then if thou haddeſt not beene; thou couldeſt not raiſe thy ſelfe when thou waſt dead, becauſe then thy ſtrength was as if thou haddeſt neuer beene. Where then is our owne free will in the ſtate of nature? Where is our merite at the hand of God? Thoſe that are wiſe doe confeſſe a threefolde operation, not of free will to merite, but of divine grace, and theſe in man, but from God. The firſt is our creation; the ſecond, our reformation; the third our conſummation and perfection to glory; and God is the authour of them all. And therefore to vsus humility, to him belongs the glory, for hee it is that maketh vsus to bee new creatures;4. Queſt. What kind of creatures wee are …re-made. Anſw. Jf any man bee in Chriſt, through the grace of God in him, he is a new creature. It is God the Father in Chriſt by the bleſſed ſpirit that worketh this new creation. But what kind of creatures doth he make vsus? I anſwer, that as God in his firſt creation, did create Adam according to his owne image and ſimilitude, Gen. 1.27. So in our ſecond creation, hee doth renue and repayre in vsus by little and little, the excellency of that image which wee loſt by the fall of o… firſt parents; he re-makes vsus like vntounto himſelfe, in wiſedome, in righteouſneſſe, in true holineſſe, alike in all heauenly vertues, p. 78as much as it is posſible (as God in his wiſedome thinkes convenient) for finite creatures. To expreſſe the excellency of an infinite Creatour, this ſimilitude he beginneth in this life, and will one day perfect it fully in the life to come. The abſolute patterne of this image is Chriſt, hee is the Idaea and liuely figure of our heauenly natiuity, both of that which we muſt ſtriue for here, and that which we ſhall hauehave hereafter: For as we hauehave borne the image of the earthy, ſo ſhall we beare the image of the heauenly, 1. Cor. 15.49. that is, that image of the new man, Which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, Eph. 4.24. In righteouſneſſe, that is, in obedience to the firſt table,Zanchus com. in Epheſ. in the duty we owe to God; and in obedience to the ſecond Table; in the duty which wee owe to our neighbour, and in holineſſe, that is, in that purity of life, which we ought to hauehave in our own ſelues, our ſoules and conſciences in the ſight of God. And, Beholding with open face, as in a glaſſe, the glory of the Lord; we are changed into this ſame image from glory to glory, euen a by the Spirit of the Lord, 1. Cor. 3.18. So that the ſecond creature ſhall be made like, but (beeing confirmed by grace in Chriſt) more excellent then the firſt. In the firſt creation God gaue vntounto Adam rule and dominion ouer all the creatures, and in our ſecond creation, the right of this Dominion is re-giuen vntounto vsus. And this Dominion we ſhould labour to exerciſe.Origen & S. Chryſoſt in Gen. But as Origen and S. Chryſoſtome expreſſe it; we ſhould hauehave dominion ouer the fiſhes of the ſea, by ruling our appetites and luſtfull deſires; ouer the birds of the heauen, by pulling downe ambition with the cords of humility; ouer the creeping things of the earth, by keeping in avarice with the bounds of charity; ouer the beaſts of the field, by holding in anger with the raines of temperance. And thus if we doe, we ſhall ſeeme to rule well, and be rewarded with double honour, as Saint Paul ſpeaketh in another kind, 1. Tim 5.17. Wee ſhall declare our ſelues to be new men in Chriſt, ſuch as hauehave our parts p. 79in the firſt reſurrection, and of whom the ſecond death ſhall hauehave no power, Reu. 20.6. For thoſe who are new creatures are free men in Chriſt, and thoſe who are in Chriſt are new creatures, If any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature.5. Queſt. But what meanes wee may attaine this newnes. S. Auguſt. Tom. 9. de decem chordis.

Whoſoeuer deſireth to be a ſubiect in the kingdome of Chriſt, he muſt bee a new creature. But by what meanes may a man attaine to this new Creation? Or how may a man come to be a new man in Chriſt? Saint Auguſtine obſerues well, that the old man in the ſtate of nature cannot ſing the new ſong in the ſtate of grace, but that hee may ſing it, he muſt ſtriue to be a new man in Chriſt; but how he may be a new man, heare not me (ſaith the Father) but the Apoſtle, Put off the old man, and p…t one the new, Eph. 4.24. So that as before grace we are like Lazarus, dead in the graue of our ſinnes, vnable to riſe from iniquity vntill Chriſt giuegive vsus his hand and power of grace to reuiue and ſtrengthen vsus, (contrary to the error of Pelagians, of which I hauehave ſpoken before:) ſo after this grace we hauehave a ſpirituall life giuen vntounto vsus, (our vnderſtandings being inlightened, and wills rectified:) and though it bee but weake, yet muſt wee not thinke our ſelues as ſtocks and ſtones, or like children ſitting idle in the market place, but we muſt worke in the vineyard beeing called, and vſing the grace that God hath giuen vsus, labour to worke out and perfect this newneſſe in vsus: on Gods part it is wrought by the bleſſed Spirit within, and by the word and Sacraments without.

But there is ſomewhat required of vsus: that wee ſtriue to cheriſh the ſparks of grace which God kindleth in vsus; that we reiect not the Spirit, but imbrace thoſe ſpeciall meanes of Faith and Repentance, and Prayer, and labour earneſtly to obtaine them. Becauſe without Faith and Repentance, none of this newneſſe can bee found in vsus. Faith upon ſight of our ſinnes (meriting Gods iuſtice on the one hand,) and beholding the mercy of God in Chriſt, on the other hand, worketh in vsus that p. 80godly ſorrow which cauſeth repentance neuer to be repented off: That foreign, that dolour and griefe ariſing in the heart for ſin, committed againſt ſo good a God, ſo mercifull a Father: it is a meanes by the operation of the Spirit, to beget in vsus that foreign, that change of the minde, that newneſſe which is ſo acceptable with God in Chriſt. As the Eagle feeling her wings heauy, doth plunge them into a fountaine, and waſhing off her olde Feathers, reneweth her youth: So likewiſe a Chriſtian feeling the the burden of the old Man, muſt waſh himſelfe in the fountaine of repentance,Ioel. 2.12.Joel 2:12 in a riuer of teares for his impuritie, that by this meanes, waſhing off the old Feathers of ſinne, hee may put on the new wings of righteouſneſſe; by which hee may flie with comfort (ſtrengthened by grace) to the heauenly Tabernacle. It is related againe of the Eagle,Barradius. that when the vpper crooked part of her bill doth grow long that ſhe cannot eate her meate, ſhe ſtriketh her bill againſt a ſtone, and breaking off the part that did hinder, reneweth her ſtrength: After the ſame manner, we muſt breake of the impediments of our ſinnes by repentance, that hinder vsus from taking the heauenly food of our ſoules, (as Daniel Dan. 4.27.Dan 4:27counſelled Nebuchadnezzar,) that with the Eagle we may be renued; and ſtrengthened more and more by Chriſt in the inner man,Epheſ. 3.16.7.Eph 3:16Eph 3:7 that Chriſt may dwell in our hearts by faith, and our faith appeare in holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14.

Laſtly, S. Auguſtine S. Auguſt. lib. 8. de Ciuit. dei & in Pſal. 56.Ps 56relateth of the Serpent, that when ſhe groweth old, ſhe draweth her ſelfe through a narrow hole, and by this meanes, leauing her old skinne, ſhe renueth her age. Our Sauiour bids vsus, to be wiſe as Serpents, Matth. 10.16. And if in any thing, ſure it is in this, that wee ſhould follow their wiſedome, that forſaking the broad way of vices, wee may paſſe through the narrow and ſtraite way of repentance, and leauing off our olde Coate of ſinne, wee may be cloathed a new with the rich p. 81garments of righteouſneſſe, and ſo become new men in Chriſt. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature. But how may a man know whether he be a new Creature or not?6. Queſtion. How to know we are Chriſtians. ſince there are ſo many in the world that make an outward ſhew of this new Creation, and hauehave nothing leſſe to be found in them; that make Religion a cloake of hypocriſie, to couer their enormities; that are like an Iuy buſh at a Tauerne doore, where there is no Wine to be had: or like a blazing Comet, that ſeemeth glorious for a while, but falleth to the ground on a ſodaine; or as Chriſt himſelfe compareth them,Mat. 32.27. like ſepulchres, that ſeeme faire on the outſide, but within are full of dead mens bones and rottenneſſe. And therefore ſince there is ſuch deceite, how may a man know whether hee be a new Creature, and ſo in Chriſt or not? The maiſter of the Sentences moueth a like queſtion concerning Faith,Sent. lib. 3. Diſt. 2…. lib 3. Trinit. cap. 1. whether a man may know that he hauehave faith or not? And S. Auguſtine reſolueth it, Fidem ipſam videt quiſque incorde tuo eſſe, ſi credit, vel non eſſe ſi non credit. EueryEvery man may ſee Faith to be in him, if hee beleeue, or not to be, if he beleeue not. In like manner it is with this new Creation, we may ſee by diuers ſignes, whether we be new men or no: of many I wil giuegive you a few. Anſwere. There were foure Riuers in the Garden of Paradiſe, and there are Signe. 1 foure Riuers that water the Garden of God,S. Bernard, in ſimil. which is the ſoule of a new Creature. The firſt, is the bewailing of our naturall corruption, and the guilt of ſinne, like that 1which did compaſſe the Land of Aethiopia. The ſecond, 2the charitable compaſsion of our brothers miſery; like that which ran towards the Countrey of Aſſyria. The 3third, a conſideration and louelove of Diuine grace; like that which diuides the Kingdome of Babylon. The fourth, 4an affectation of heauenly vertues; like that which did compaſſe the whole Land of Hauilah. Theſe hauehave the dew from aboue, and the water from below; the waters p. 82of the Sea, of the Riuers, of the Fountaines, and of the Snow, all to make plentifull with ſpirituall graces; and if thou canſt finde theſe foure ſpirituall Riuers in thy ſoule, then maiſt thou be perſwaded, that thou art a new Creature.

Signe. 2 Secondly, the Spouſe in the Canticles hath two eies like Doues, Cant. 4.1. Theſe two are in the ſoule of a new 1Creature. The firſt is a true meditation of the louelove of Chriſt, like a Cordiall Electuary to comfort the heart. 2The ſecond, is the high eſtimation of heauenly glory, like a burning fire, to inflame our ſoules with the deſire of Heauen; theſe wound the heart of the Bridegroome Chriſt Ieſus. And if thou canſt finde theſe in thy ſoule, then mayeſt thou bee perſwaded thou art a new Creature.

Signe. 3 Thirdly, there is a three-fold bed whereon our Sauiour 1doth delight to take reſt. The firſt is, the vnitie of the two Teſtaments, which is as the wombe of the Virgine 2wherein he was conceiued. The ſecond is, the Church of his Elect, which is as the Manger wherein he was laid at 3his birth. The third is, the ſoule and conſcience of a new creature, which is as the graue in which he was buried. And if thou canſt find Chriſt thus reſting in thy ſoule, thou mayeſt certainely bee perſwaded that thou art a new Creature.