The Converted Mans New Birth, Chapter 1 – Chapter 3
CHAP. I.
This firſt Chapter entreateth of the principall Care, Zeale, and vehement deſire, which eueryevery one ought to take in the ſeeking their ſaluation.
THere is nothing in the World that we ought ſo to affect and deſire, as to ſeeke to hauehave our ſoules ſaued in the Kingdome of Heauen: And if there bee any thing in the Booke of GOD, from the Alpha of Geneſis, vntounto the Omega of the Reuelation, that is able to draw a ſinner vntounto Repentance, ſure it is the remembrance of his Saluation; And as the Lord of Hoſts hath drawne his ſword by forraigne Nations, ſhewing the miſeries that are like to enſue vppon vsus by reaſon of our ſinne, and ſecurity: Let vsus now therefore, with all expedition, beſtow our ſhort and troubleſome time in ſeeking our ſaluation, and with all Humility returne vntounto the Lord by ſpeedy Repentance, for if we looſe the life of our bodies, by defending the Goſpell, in ſeeking our ſaluation, wee may find it againe; but if we looſe our ſoules for want thereof, it will be irreuokeable, and neuer recalled againe: Oh too too many now a dayes in this declyning age, ſeeme to bee careleſſe of their ſaluation.
And although England neuer liued ſo long in peace and ſecurity, nor the Goſpell neuer ſo generally Preached amongſt vsus, yet I feare, neuer did men make ſo ill vſe of ſo good a bleſſing; miranda miſerecordia, Gods mercy is to be wondred at, that he hath ſpared vsus ſo long; it is his mercy, and nothing but his mercy, that wee are not conſumed; our ſinnes is, In ultimo gradu, in the higheſt degree that may bee, ſo that Laetantur cum malefecerint, they reioyce and take pleaſure, when they hauehave done euill; wherefore I doubt not, but the iniquity of the whole World is come to maturity, which cauſeth our ſinnes to crye louder then the ſinnes of Sodome; Ezekel 16. 49. 50.and aſcend higher then the ſinnes of Niniuch.Ionas 1. 2.
Wherefore, if all our Nauie were ready, all our Ports fortified; all our Coaſts guarded; all our men ſtrongly armed, and our Land inuironed with a wall of Braſſe; yet it is to be feared, that wee hauehave a Traytor within vsus, euen our long continued and vnrepented ſinnes, that will draw Gods vengeance vppon vsus, and cauſe him to whet his ſword, and vtterly confound vsus, Except wee repent. God would hauehave ſpared Sodome, i… there had beene but twenty, nay but ten Righteous therein: So no doubt, it is for ſome good peoples ſake, that holds vp their hands like Moſes, and grieue for the ſinnes of our time, like Lot, that God hath ſpared vsus ſo long.
Agayne, Gods ſword was once drawne agaynſt Niniueh, agaynſt whom a fearefull doome was pronounced; Yet forty daies and Niniueh ſhall bee deſtroyed. The King and the Nobility,Ionas 3. 4. with all his Subiects, preſently fell to Repentance: they faſted; they prayed; and inceſſantly with all humility humbled themſelues in Sacke-cloath and Aſhes, their ſinnes cryed for vengeance; but their Repentance for mercy, their ſinnes aſcend vp to Heauen,Ionas 1. 2. and clamours loud in the eares of Gods iuſtice for vengeance, vengeance, O reuenge with vengeance.
Their Repentance aſcends higher, and cryes louder into the eares of Gods mercy: Good Lord hauehave mercy, ſpare vsus, O ſpare vsus we beſeech thee; whereby we may ſee that God regards not the clamour of ſinne, ſo much as hee doth the crye of a true repentant ſinner.
But England, O ſinnefull England, there was neuer any Nation in the World, that hath ſuch ſtore of Heauenly Manna, as his Word, his Will, his Truth, his Goſpell, which wee hauehave receiued, Iugentia beneficia, infinite benefits, much knowledge of the Truth, ſo much Preaching of the Word, and ſo much glorious light of the Goſpell: And yet Mirandum eſt degeneres nos, it is wonder, and a great wonder, that ſuch a degenerate generation as this, ſuch a corrupt and ſinnefull Nation as wee, ſhould ſo liue in ſuch a bleſſed and illuminated a time.
But our ſinnes, our ſinnes, our vnrepented ſinnes, are more then can bee numbred by any Arithmetition, and greater then can be meaſured by a Geometrition: As ouraIeremiah 5. 7. Eccleſ. 23. 9. ſwearing and forſwearing; ourbIerem. 17. 21. prophatning the Lords Sabaoth; ourcIere. 6. 14. Ieremiah 5. 3. contempt of Gods Word; ourdIeremiah 6. 13 couetouſneſſe; oureAmos 6. 6. drunkennes; ourfEſay 3. 10, 11, 12. Ieremiah 9. 5. deceite; ourgEzechiel 6. 9. whoredome, our pride, our vnthankfulnes, and our waxing worſe & worſe, with many moe, which crye to Heauen for Gods vengeance againſt vsus.
Oh therefore let vsus with all expedition ſeeke for our ſaluation by ſpeedy repentance: Let vsus not onelyonly wéepe, but powre foorth our teares for our ſins likehEſay 5. Eſay 29. 20. Hab. 2. 5. Dauid: h Pſal. 6. 6.Wreſtle with GOD like iGene. 32. 24.Iacob: Crye likekEſay. 58. 1. Eſay: That our heads may be full of water, and our eyes a Fountayne of teares, likelIere. 4. 19. Ieremiah: Let vsus be cladmIohn 3. 6. in Sacke-cloath like the Niniuites: Humbled vntounto the groundnGene. 17. 18▪ like Abraham: Mourne like a DoueoEſay. 38. 14. with Ezechia: Rore outpIob. 3. 24. our griefe with Iob: Powre out our Souleq1 Sam 1. 10. with Hanna: Rent ourrIoel. 3. 13. hearts with the penitent; lament withſMat. 26. 75. Peter: SorrowtLuk. 7. 38. with Mary: And crye out with theuActs 16. 30. Acts. 2. 37. Iewes; Men and Brethren, what ſhall we doe to bee ſaued? For there is nothing more needefull, then the ſaluation of our ſoules.
The vehement deſire of their ſaluation, cauſed the Patriarks, Prophets, and the Saints of the old World, to long for, and deſire that eternall, ſweete, and moſt ioyful inheritance, Regnum Dei, the Kingdome of God; It cauſed Abraham to forſake hisaGene. 12. 4. Heb. 11. 8. owne naturall Countrey; and his Fathers Houſe, and t… go… he knew not whither: It cauſed Moſes to forſakebExod 2. 11. Heb. 11. 24. Aegypt, and refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter: it cauſed Toby, Iob, Elias, and Paul, to wiſh To be diſſolued, and to bee with Chriſt.
It cauſed the careleſſe Niniuites to beléeuecIonas. 3. 5. Ionas Preaching: The deſperate ſouldiers to hearedMat. 3 5 Iohns Sermon: The obſtinate Iſraelites to heareeActs. 2. 37. Peters perſwaſion: The Euenuch to giuegive eare tofActs. 18 38. Phillip: Cornelius the Captayne, with a great multitude, to hearegActs. 10. 5. Peter; and the Macedonians tohActs. 20. 7 continue Paules Doctrine vntill midnight.
When Iohn the Baptiſt firſt Preached, Primitiua quidem Eccleſia, The Primitiue Church did moſt clearely ſhine, in ſo much thatiMat. 11. 12. the Kingdome of Heauen ſuffered violence; That is, there was ſuch forwardneſſe and zeale, in thoſe that heard him Preach, to procure their ſaluation, in the Kingdome of Heauen, that they ſtroue moſt earneſtly to goe in; and this affection our Sauiour requireth, when he ſayth, Striue to enter in at the ſtraight Gate; For Dominus vobiſcum dum vos cum Domino: The Lord is with you,Luke. 13. 24. while yée heare his voyce.2 Chro. 15. 2.
The Prophet Dauid lamented that hée was ſo long kept from the ioyes of his Saluation: Woe is me (ſayth hee) that I am conſtrained to dwell with Moſech, and to hauehave my habitation among the Tents of Keder. And agayne, Like as the Hart deſireth the water brooke; ſo longeth my ſoule after thee O God: And agayne, hée ſayth, That hee ſhould vtterly hauehave fainted, but that hee did reſt in hope of a better Kingdome; and beleeued verily in ſhort time, to ſee the ioyes of his Saluation, in the land of the liuing.
And many others counted their Country but a curſed vale of miſery; their worldly glory but vanity; their dwellings but a Priſon; their pleaſure but ſorrow, mourning and teares; and all their doings were to this end that they might ioy in their ſaluation in the kingdome of Heauen.
CHAP. II.
The ſecond Chapter entreateth of the ſhortneſſe, and vncertainty of mans life, and how it may be a motiue to induce vsus to returne vntounto the Lord by repentance, becauſe no man knowes the time thereof, nor when God will call him.
ALl Creatures waxe olde with this aged World; although Methuſela liued 969.aGen. 5. 27. yeares; yet in our age if we reach to 80. it bPſal 89. 46.is with ſorrow and labour; mans dayes are but a cPſal. 39. 5, 6.ſpan, ſaith Dauid, and all fleſh is graſſe, ſayth the Prophet dEſay 40. 6.Eſay: So that man is ſcarce entred into the World, but he is admoniſhed to remember to depart out ofeEccle. 40. 1. …. the ſame; for as all the world is mutable, ſo of all the things in the world, man is moſt mutable, wee are all but Tenants at will, and know not how long we ſhall remayne in this earthly Tabernacle, and as our dayes are but ſhort and euill, and many cut off fGene. 7. 11. Gene. 19. 24. Exod. 14. 27. Num. 21. 6. Num. 16. 31. Acts 12. 23. Luke 12. 20. Acts 5. 10. Iudg. 3. 21, 22. 2 Sam. 3. 27.ſuddainly, that they hauehave ſcarce time to thinke on God, or once crye Lord helpe me; therefore we ought alwaies ſo to liue, that wee may euer gEſay 55. 6. Iere. 25. 15. Gal. 6. 10. Heb. 3. 7. 15. Pſalme 95. 8.bee prepared for the Lord.
Let the memory of death bee euer the looking-glaſſe of our life, and ſeeing the young muſt depart from the World as well as the old: Let vsus imagine that the Spring of our dayes are paſt, our Summer is ſpent, and that wee are arriued at the Autumne, or fall of the leafe;hPſalme 89. 46 So that in eueryevery moment wee are in the waning; The date of our poore Pilgrimage almoſt expired, and the Lamp of our liues lyeth twinckling vppon the ſnuffe; our forces enféebled, our ſences impayred, and on eueryevery ſide, our tottering and ruinous cottage of our faint fleſh, ready to fall.
It were now high time, therefore, to leaue our owne wayes, andqPſalme 77. 6. with all expedition looke towards our Caeleſtiall home; leſt wée bée like thoſe which are toſſed with many ſturdy ſtormes, and cannot ariue at their deſired Port; ride little way, but are much turmoyled.
So, theſe that paſſe many yeares in their vnrepented ſins, and purchaſe but ſmall profit to ſalue their ſicke ſoules, ſhould hauehave a long lyuing in deſtruction,Prouerbs 8. 1. but a ſhort life inrWiſ. 4. 8. 9. Prouerbs 16. 31 Wiſdome 17. 10 conuerſion; beſides that, where ſinne raignes there goes Gods curſe alſo: There is no peace to ſEſay 48. 2…. Prouerbs 28. 1.the wicked.
But howſoeuer, whether in youth, or in age, wée would leaue our ſinnes, and returne vntounto the Lord by Repentance, wee muſt know this, that it is not in our ownetLam. 5. 21. Iere. 31. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. power.
No man can leaue his ſinnes when he would; nor no Pope or Potentate can pardon them but God: neyther is anyuPſal 49. 7, 8 Acts. 4. 12. Hoſ. 13. 4. Pſal. 32. 1, 2, 3. Math. 1. 21. Luke. 5. 11. Pſal. 3. 8. Iohn 15. 16. Iohn 1. 29. Acts 10. 43. Pſal. 17. 7. Daniel 9. 9. Hoſa 14. 34. Luke 2. 30 1 Tim. 1. 15. Luke 24. 47. 1 Iohn 1. 7 Pſalme 4. 8. 1 Iohn 3. 5, 6. Pſal. 51. 12. 14. Iohn 6. 93. Eſay 45. 15. Pſalme 79. 9. Luke 1. 17. Iohn 4. 9. man capable of grace, neceſſary to ſaluation, before God cals him, as our Sauiour ſayth, No man can come vntounto me, except my Father draw xIohn 6. 44.him.
The labourer receiued his peny, as well that came in the laſt houre, as hée that came in theyMat. 27. 38. firſt: And the Théefe was ſaued, that was on the Croſſe: So that there is no time too late, in this life to repent, if wée repent truely, whenſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe God to call vsus, neyther any time too earely, if wée prepare our ſelues to leaue our ſins, and come vntounto him when hée calls vsus: So that, whether it be earely, or late, wée muſt alwayes prepare our ſelues, to forſake our ſelues in our ſinnes, and come at his calling.
CHAP III
The third Chapter deſcribeth a ſhort and Caeleſtiall view of the place, whereunto we are called.
WE are not called vntounto any earthlyaIohn 7. 37. Tabernacle, but to the Kingdome ofbMat. 2…. 14. Heauen, vntounto that bleſſedc… Peter 1. 11. and euerlaſting Kingdome, vntounto that Celeſtiall and HeauenlydLuke 24. Ieruſalem, that Kingdome offReue. 21. 11. glory; that throne of gReue. 22. 1.Maieſty; that Paradize hReue. 2. 7of pleaſure; that glory of God, and lifekIohn 17. 3 euerlaſting, which was the firſtlGeneſis 1. 1. Pſalme 33. 6. Pſalme 136. 5. Acts 14. 15. Reue. 14. 17. of all Gods workes and therefore it is moſt ancient.
Whoſe felicity cannot m1 Cor. 2. 9 Eſay 64. 4 Pſalme 31. 20.bee imagined, neyther the bleſſings numbred, ſo incomparable as cannot bee equalled, and of ſuch value as none can comprize it, ſo great as cannot be meaſured, and of ſuch eternity, as neuer can benDanel 7. 14. Luke 1. …3. Daniel …. 44. ended▪
The very name of Heauen to all is louely, becauſe it is a HauenoMa… 11. 28, 29. Iere▪ …. …6. for reſt; a Citty p… 2…. 2.for beauty, and a Kingdom qMa… 16. 19.for ſtate: It is the Harbour for the rExodus 6. 3▪Iuſt; the peculiar s1 Peter 2. 9.people; the regenerate tTitus 2. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 9.Chriſtians; the uLuke 1. …9. Iohn 1…. 8. 12▪ Iohn 9. 5. Iohn 1. 9 Iohn 11. 12. 35. Iohn 12. 36. Ephe. 5. 8.Children of light; the elect by Gods praeordination; where all are wMat. 25. 34.Kings, and Heires with xGala. 4. 7.Chriſt; inueſted with yRom. 8. 17. Rom. 9. 13.glory; Crowned with Maieſty, cloathed z2 Tim. 4. 8. 1 Peter. 5. 4.with ſecurity, decked with delights, repleniſhed with pleaſure, garniſhed with all graces, adorned with beauty, furniſhed with the beſt company, and flouriſhing with the flower of all Nations; it is deſired of all, hoped for of many, but only enioyed of the beſt.
And as Heauen is out Summum bonum, our chiefe good thing, ſo it is our Terminus adquem ye end of al our a1 Cor. 1. 21. Eſay. 2. 5. Ma…. 16. 15.Preaching, the drift of all our bPſalme 95. 8. Ioſhuah 8. 4. 1 Samuel 12. 14Hearing, the fruite of allcRom. 10. 17. Mat. 13. 4. Mat. 4. 39. Luke. 8. 8. Mat. 16. 16. 17. Iohn 6. 65. our Beleeuing; the effect of all ourd1 Iohn 5. 20. Gala. 4. 9. Knowledge; and the mayne poynt of all our Profeſſion, that wee may ſo liue, that wée may enioy, this bleſſed and euerlaſting Kingdome.