Of Regeneration and Baptism, Sermons · Sermon 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Sundry other dark Texts inlightened, alluding to a Regeneration.
I Add a fifth; more then I promiſed. And hence alſo a true, natural, genuine unforced interpretation of ſundry dark alluſions (yet remaining dark) and ſeeming hard expreſſions of divers places of the later Scriptures, eſpecially in St Pauls (1)In which are ſome things of profound conceit, foreign, hard to be underſtood, is St Peters cenſure of them, 2 Epiſt. 3.16. or foreign, deep and of difficult interpretation, as Epiphanius, in haereſ. 30 cap. 25. If it be not rather to be heeded which Beza and Eſtius have obſerved in their Comments, that the Relative is not foreign, as referring to Epiſtles, but foreign, among which things, of the laſt judgment, often treated of by St Paul, and likewiſe thereby St Peter, Among them are divers things hard, &c. This ſeems probable, and would ſet a new face both up…n the ſenſe of the text, and controverſies managed by interpretation or diſtortion thereof.myſterious Epiſtles, hardly if at all poſſibly intelligible but from theſe preſtructions. That great(2)Whereto I was appointed a Preacher and an Apoſtle, a Maſter or Teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity, 1 Tim. 2.7. Maſter of Chriſtian Religion was we know alſo a learned Hebrew, an acute Phariſee, a Doctor of the Law, of Gamaliels Colledg, and being expert in all the Cuſtoms and Queſtions of the Jews, (which height he was after glad to meet in his learned Judg Agrippa) ſpake, no doubt, and wrote according to that knowledg in himſelf, which in the tendry thereof did ſtill preſuppoſe a Regeneration. How ſhall we underſtand what he ſpake, without having firſt learned thoſe grounds upon which he ſpake? How ſhall we poſſibly attain to the proper and genuine(3)Scire legis non hoc eſt, verba earum tenere, ſed vim ac poteſtatem. Digeſt. de legibus, ſenatuſque. L. 17. meaning of thoſe words (he has left his ſenſe wrapped up in) without a foreknowledge of thoſe things, from which he derived the uſe of thoſe words? and without a preſuppoſition both of which knowledge in him, and foreknowledg of them in us, we can neither imagin how he ſhould have ſpoken as he did, nor can we poſſibly apprehend him? As, the frequent reflections of his pen upon generation ſpiritual, parents not natural, born to God, and a bleſs'd(4)A man in Chriſt a new creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. and ſee Galat. 6.15. Epheſ. 4, 22, 23. 1 Corinth. 5.7. 2 Corinth. 4.16. Titus 3.5. New creature: The (1)Hereof in Coloſ. 2.9. Epheſ. 4.22.Old man alſo he tels us is (2)Roman. 6.3, 4, &c. Coloſ 2.11, 12, 20, &c.dead and buried even by Baptiſme alone (Circumciſion, for ſome obligations attending, or other inconveniences, was it ſeems then left out) and a (3)Coloſ. 3.1, 9, 10. Epheſ 4.2…. ſiquidem Regeneratio, quod ipſum etiam nomen, declarat, alterius vitae initium eſt. Baſil. lib. de ſpiritu ſanct. cap. 15. Renovatur quod finitum eſt, protelatur quod adhuc durat Digeſt. de damno infecto. L. Dies.new man raiſed up inſtead thereof: nay ſuch a prevailing and univerſal change, that (as the Hebrew of his Renate Proſelytes(4)2 Cor. 15.17. Old things were paſſed away, and all things become new New kindred (in God) new (heavenly) relations, a new name, Saul called Paul) new faith, new hopes▪ a new mind, a renewed(5)For our converſation is in heaven, whence we look for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3.20. converſation: I ſay THEREFORE and teſtifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the underſtanding darkned, aliens from the life of God, &c. But be ye renewed in the ſpirit of your minds, and put on the new man framed to a ſimilitude of God in righteouſneſs and the holyneſs of truth. Lye not one to another: He that ſtole, give it over: Lay all bitterneſs aſide and wrath and malice, and Be ye followers of God as his dear children, &c. Epheſ. 4.17, 18, &c. A new FORM; what could be more? and that is in Rom. 12.2. (not a transfiguration but a Transformation) I beſeech you, Brethren, by Gods mercies, that in reaſonable ſervice you offer your ſelves to God a ſacrifice, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your minds foreign, which is ſomewhat light, and of the outſide, foreign, a very Metamorphoſis. As the Corinthians are ſaid to be ſo tranſlated to Gods Image, 1 Corinth. 3.18. (a thing done) and My little children, of whom I travel till this FORM of Chriſt be brought forth in you. Galat. 4.19. In regard whereof the foreknown of God are ſaid to be predeſtinate to a Con-Formity to the image of Gods Son▪ Rom. 8.29. who was before (as is elſewhere ſaid) the firſt Draught as it were of the inviſible God, They, (the elect Romans) but (in their New making) Conform and like to HIM, and ſo He being before, and they after, and but after him, He hath in all things the priority or preeminence, as Coloſ. 1.18. or, as here, is hereby made the firſt born of many brethren. From which TRANSFORMATION, by the way, (in various expreſſion ſo often pointed to, and muſt therefore have had much Reality both in it ſelf and common belief and from the truths depending thereon, (but thoſe conſequences overſtrained, as the manner is) Might thoſe perverſe diſputers, men of corrupt minds, that lived in thoſe morning days, draw colour of their claimed Liberty, indeed open and boundleſs wild Licentiouſneſs, who queſtioned (as appears by the Apoſtles often queſtioning them) the diſſolving of all bonds, natural, moral, political, oeconomical and of all worldly obligations, by coming over to their new and regenerate freed condition. If we look into 1 Corinth. chap. 7. Epheſ. 5. Coloſſ. 3.1. Timoth. 6. Epheſ. 5. & 1 Pet. chap. 2. We ſhall there find ſervants ready to forſake their Maſters, women to divorce their husbands, children riſing up againſt their parents, ſubjects againſt their liege Lords, All champing irefully upon the bit, and ready to take up the words of the Pſalm, Let us break their bonds, and caſt away their yokes from us, All whatſoever that have held the world in quiet and kept us in duty and ſubjection, Whence but from that change ſounding in their ears, and treaſured up in their hearts, They were not now what they had been? They were Dead to the world, Alive to God, a choſen generation, a peculiar people, Born again, the SONS of the moſt High, and muſt they yet be held in by their old rotten bonds of corrupt carnal relations? Which made the caution needfull (and hence we have its juſt place and uſe) taken up in the Epiſtle to the Galathians, (to keep all in order and due bounds) ye have been called unto Liberty, grant that; but not ſuch a liberty as may give occaſion to the fleſh, or fleſhly men to follow the ſwinge of their exorbitant deſires, to what they liſt, and unbounded appetite may crave, but in love ſtill to ſerve one another; and by another Apoſtle to the ſame ſenſe, As free (ſo ye are) ſaith St Peter, only uſe not your new liberty (juſtly claimed and freely granted) for a cloke of maliciouſneſs, or licentiouſneſs to any thing,1 Pet. 2.16. but as becomes the ſervants of God, thoſe would not ſhame a heavenly relation, honouring all men, loving your own fraternity, fearing God, obeying your King, and ſubmitting to all humane orders for Gods ſake, &c.
1. Ʋſe not your due liberty as a cloke, foreign: in a metaphor taken from ſordid men; who though their cloths be underneath torn and vile, yet if they get a handſom cloke to caſt over, they walk the ſtreets in appearance neat; the vileneſs is covered but the ſordidneſs remaineth: So, many are apt to abuſe Holy Religion and juſt Liberty, to be a cloke and cover of their licentious, wild, unbridled paſſions and corrupt affections; envy, malice, pride, covetouſneſs, ambition, revenge, and the whole heap of troubleſome and curſed ſins ſedition, inſurrection, ſacriledg, diſobedience to POWERS, which is, as the ſin of witchcraft) thoſe reigning ſpirits, their dominiering luſts within are ſubtle and active enough to tempt them to; they have not their Chriſtian liberty unleſs they may withhold their Tithes, pull own Churches, deſtroy ſocieties, diſcompoſe States, ſubvert Government, obey whom they liſt, do what they liſt, think, ſpeak, act as they liſt: But do not ye do thus ſaith the Apoſtle, Ye have not ſo learned Chriſt or the freedom of his Goſpel, if ye have heard of him or been taught of him as the truth is in Jeſus, to put off that old man corrupt according to ſuch erroneous luſts, and put on the New, created in righteouſneſs, that giveth every one his own, and True holineſs: O be not ſo impious to profane a ſhrine to cover a ſtrumpet, to wrap up an Idol in Aarons holy robes, to make Religion a ſtalking horſe to come (unſuſpected) at corrupt, carnal, ſeditious, ſacrilegious ends, Let it be abomination and as the ſin of witchraft, to make ſanctity a cover of iniquity, fair liberty, for any thing that is foul foreign, as a cloke.
2. And, as a cloke of Maliciouſneſs; not Malice, a particular paſſion, as uſually tranſlated, and commonly underſtood, but foreign, of*Hujus virtutis contraria eſt vitioſitas: ſic enim malo, quam Malitiam appellare eam, quam Graeci foreign appellant, nam MALITIA certi cujuſdam vi…ii nomen eſt, VITIOSITAS omnium. Cicero, Tuſculan: Quaeſt. lib. 4. Quas enim Graeci foreign appellant, Vitia malo, quàm Malitias nominare Id. lib 3: definibus. Naughtineſs in general, an ill diſpoſition, or Habit of wickedneſs: ſo obſerved and ſuggeſted by learned(1)In his excellent and judicious Sermon on that text: pa. 21. Dr Sanders, ſo tranſlated by him there and by others from the(1)As in Gen. 6.5. Wickedneſs was great on the earth, foreign in Exod. 23.2. Thou ſhalt not be with the many in ill, foreign. So deuteron. 31.18 Jud 9.56, 57. cap. 20.3, 12, 13. 1 Reg 12 19, 17, 20. cap. 17.28. cap. 24.12. and in many other pl…e …eſides the Original of Eccleſ. 33 32. Idleneſs teacheth much ill, and chap. 15.21. All wickedneſs ſmall to the wickedneſs of a woman: twice together: and in the New Teſtament, Acts 8.22. 1 Corinth. 5.8. chap. 14.20. Epheſ. 4.31. Jam. 1.31. and in the beginning of this very chapter, Lay aſide all ILL: In all which places, and many more, foreign (the word here) may be well, and can be well nothing elſe but the head or comprehenſion of all Naughtineſs. Septuagint in divers places and that which is only rendred by that unuſual abſtract in the(2)Metum accipiendum Labeo, dicit, non quemlibet timorem, ſed majoris malitatis. Digeſt. Quod metus cauſa. lib. 4. tit. 2. LL. 5. Civil Law from Malus, Malitas, the head or comprehenſion of all evil; and as in the Vulgar of Matth. 6 34. Sufficit diei Malitia ſua, ſufficient for the day is the miſchief thereof, any ill or inconvenience; do not abuſe your priviledg to ſuch deſigne, your granted liberty by real change to an occaſion or colour of ANY Evil As elſewhere, when it was queſtioned, May a new-born Chriſtian(3)1 Cor. 7.10, 11. put away his old wife? No: nor a woman her husband, but if the infidel will depart, let him, or her, depart: (4)Rom. 13.1. 1 Pet. 2.13.Let every ſoul continue ſubject to the higher powers: (5)Epheſ. 6.1. Col. 3.20.Children obey your parents, ſtill:(6)Epheſ. 5.22. Coloſ. 3 18. Wives your Huſbands, Servants your Maſters And(7)1 Tim. 6.1, 2. if any have believing Maſters, let them not deſpiſe them becauſe they are now brethren, but do them ſervice becauſe they are faithfull and beloved partakers of the ſame benefit, as a man had rather ſerve a friend upon the ſame ſtair of common goodneſs, then an adverſarie, or an enemy; The ſum, (8)1 Pet. 5.5.Be ye clothed in humility, (9)Rom. 12.10.in honour preferring one another, not ſcandalizing the Goſpel, (10)1 Cor. 7.17, 20, 24.remaining in the ſame ſtate ye were called with God, (11)Epheſ. 5.21.ſubmitting to each other in his fear, and under all old carnal relations remaining ſtill ready(12)Galat. 5.13. A divine ſentence not fit to be written but in l…tt…rs of gold. N…thing is m…re Chriſtianly religious: Give it obedi-ence, and from it alone we ſh…uld ſ…e a new fa…e of …hriſtendom. in love to ſerve one another. This was the needfull doctrin, upon all changes allowed, which the Apoſtles preached; which changes (to go on) we have not in St Paul alone. For,
In(1)1 Pet. 1.…3.…5. St Peter we have births proceeding from a double ſemination: One corruptible, as of the fleſh, but this (natural) laſts not, another ſupernatural, as from immortal generation; foreign, whereby ſomewhat is quickened which abideth for ever. In St John is a ſecond and beyond-and-after-natural(2)1 John 2.29. Generatio foreign, out of the RIGHTEOƲS one, as 'twere from God above; The conſequent whereof is there is conſequence of diſcourſe continued in the next chapter, To be the Children of God in preſent now, to thoſe were the compleat ſons of men before, and whatever they ſhall be hereafter (which is unknown, chap 3 ver. 2.) And the ſeed of that Divine birth is ſaid after to remain, (3)John 1.12, 13.as an antidote againſt ill, or inward receit at the heart to hold antipathy and keep out the working of temptations that they may not cloſe in and generate unto ſins, ver. 9. All this, even out of GOD, chap. 1. ver. 1, & 18. Beſides the like intimation and expreſſion, even to words and ſyllables in the Goſpel of the ſame Apoſtle: As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſons of God: who were born (to this eſtate) not of bloud, nor of the luſt of fleſh or men, but of God.
Theſe are in Peter, Paul, John, abroad: nearer home I chiefly inſiſt on the 10. ver. of this preſent chapter; the coherence whereof ſeems not ſo well made, the ſenſe given, nor deduction of conſequences followed, as theſe things (in my underſtanding) may give ground for. The uſual interpretation is this: That Nicodemus, (a great Maſter in Iſrael knew not, (as well how could he?) the great myſtery of Regeneration, (revealed only by whiſper from heaven, which he had not) Hence he, (deſtitute of that revelation, which was not in his power) makes an anſwer childiſh and groſely carnal, (which yet no one can(4)Homo hominis niſi ipſo indicante non intelligit cogitatum: Quantò minùs Divinum quis poterit inveſtigare conſilium, niſi cui ipſe voluerit revelare. Bern. in Epiſtol. 77. ſuppoſe how he ſhould have mended) talking of entring into his mothers womb, (to which his invincible ignorance as inevitably led him) and being thence born again: whence our Saviour reproves him ſharply, Art thou a Teacher of Other, a Maſter in Iſrael and yet thus ignorant? But how do theſe things hang together? That our Saviour (meek and gentle) ſhould diſpoſe to blame him (who would do nothing without reaſon) for ignorance of that, he nor did know, nor could know, nor any other could well tell how he ſhould! in a myſtery of Religion to be revealed, dropped only from heaven, which inſtillation, inſpiration 'tis granted he had not! Might he not well have anſwered for himſelf, Ye call me Rabbi and Maſter, and ye ſay well. for ſo I am, but how can I ſpeak, in that I was never taught, or know theſe things unleſs ſome one (from above) ſhew me? Such revelation I have not, why am I blamed for that I never could have? can I take what was never ſent, or receive what was never given? If this muſt come from God, and he gave it not me, how am I (though I have it not) blamed, or but excuſed! Whereas in the other way, blame comes home, inexcuſable, unanſwerable, unavoidable; ſc. That he was blind where he might ſee, an ignorant profeſſor of what he might know, deſtitute of the knowledg of his ſchool, the tendries of his aſſociates, the light then upon the ſtage, the learning of his place: from whence he might have had inſtruction of the whole buſineſs, but he a trewant or a drone neglected even the uſual tendries of his own Religion, offering him what as a Doctor he refuſed, the doctrin of a Regeneration. And thus our Saviours increpation comes home indeed, the blow lights hard and ſmarts as he intended it: Art thou a Maſter in Iſrael, and knoweſt not theſe things, thou ſhouldeſt, mighteſt, oughteſt know! thy Liturgy, thy Breviary, thy Catechiſme, thy profeſſion! the badg whereof in thy profeſſing ignorance doth but blazon thy folly, and in thy long robe (that lying outſide) thy ridiculouſly incongruous ſimplicity and duncery! So the Schollar might have known, otherwiſe our Saviour would not have blamed him for want: and that without impoſſible Revelations, which were never accounted in mans power, and ſo ſhould be out of reach of blame: for the learning of his own Schools might have been in this his ſufficient inſtruction, the doctrin extant (to have been furniſhed therewith) a ſhield of ſtrength to keep off this increpation. And ſo this place, not (as(1)By St Chryſoſtome, in Homil. 23. in. Johan. tom. 2. pa. 153. and many more. uſually alledged) affording inſtance of what is after, in 1 Cor. 2.16. The natural man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſneſs unto him; neither can he skill, for they are ſpiritually diſcerned. for by the ordinary acquirable knowledg of his own School he might have come to notice of them by ſtudy and induſty, as a Schoolman to the opinion of Scotus and Thomas, and a Prieſt to his rites by his own rituals.
The co-herence moreover would thus be well made out and carried along with clearneſs of ſenſe to ſome verſes following. Doſt not thou a Maſter know theſe things? 11. Verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, We ſpeak what we know, thou mighteſt, and teſtifie what we have ſeen, it is every days object, and yet, ſeemeth it ſtrange to you? ye receive not our teſtimonie. 12. If I have ſpoken unto you earthly things, within reach of every days ſence, and ye apprehend not or believe not as out of reach, How would ye believe if I ſhould ſtrain higher, to ſpeak of thoſe things, from whence I am and whereto I could aſcend, heavenly things? 13. Whereunto 'tis hard for any other to climb in apprehenſion; for No man hath aſcended or can aſcend up to heaven to underſtand things there (aſcendere in coelum dicitur, qui arcana coeli penetrat, ſaith Grotius on the place) ſave he that came down from heaven, from the boſome of the Father, even the ſon of man that is now in his contemplation and omniſcience in heaven. 14. And as Moſes lift up the Serpent in the Wilderneſs heretofore on high, ſo muſt the Son of Man be thither from whence he is lifted up again, that whoſo believeth on him may not periſh, but have everlaſting life. Thus are the words chained together faſt and cloſe, in a handſome coherence of ſenſe as well as Grammar: Thus they enlighten one another, ſtill ſuppoſing a Regeneration known upon earth and viſible (as was ſaid at ver 11. We teſtifie what we have ſeen) So is offered to us all of a piece, light and clear, (not to ſpeak of others miſerable diſtortions, and incongruous, inextricable perplexities) and in a word, This makes the text together look like it ſelf, the word of God and ſenſe A diligent inquiry would I believe find out many other (conſider of Jam. 1.18. & 2 Cor. 3.8, &c.) which interpreters have hitherto tormented themſelves in vain to give any tolerable interpretation of, and after all have ſcarce left handſome Allegories of thoſe the holy Ghoſt meant for notable Elegancies; The places are rich in deep ſenſe and profoundneſs of matter, but the well hath been hitherto ſtopped, there have wanted to draw the riches forth. What I have now laid before you, I commend unto the bleſſing of that GOD to continue, who hath I hope hitherto guided both my heart and tongue: if all or any may conduce to the guiding if it be but of one benighted ſoul, or inlightening of any obſcure and clouded text of Scripture, I have then of my pains and ſearch aboundant recompence. Ye alſo ſome, of your tempted patience, which if not accuſtomed to ſuch length or thornie difficulties, you may the rather bear for once with that is not uſual: Conſider what I have ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things.
And thus, with my ſands run, I am at laſt arrived at the end of my way, whence 'tis uſual to ſtand ſtill and look back: Remember therefore, &c.
All which yet I deſire to have taken as offered, and accepted as intended, non tam aſſerendo quam diſquirendo, in the words of my great(1)Canones, ſed tamen mobiles, ſive axiomata inchoata, quae nobis inquirentibus non pronunciantibus ſe offerunt, praeſcribimus & conſtituimus. Utiles enim ſunt ſi non prorſus veri Illuſtriſſimus Baconius, in prolegomen: ad hiſtor. Ventorum. author, that I meant to propoſe only to attention and judgment, not ſo much with the confidence of a peremptory reſolver as the(2)Si cui, verò in diſceptatione profundum aliquid occurrerit, de hoc quidem dicendum: (ſaid Origen.) ſed non cum omni affirmatione. Hoc enim aut temerarii hominis eſt, ejus qui ſenſum humanae infirmitatis perdiderit, oblituſque ſui ſit: aut certe perfectorum virorum, & eorum qui confidenter ſe ſciant ab ipſo Domino Jeſu didiciſſe, id eſt, à verbo veritatis & ab ipſa ſapientia, per quam omnia facta ſunt, agnoviſſe, vel eorum qui divina reſponſa ingreſſi, turbinem & caliginem ubi ipſe Deus eſt, caelitus acceperunt: in quod vix ille Moyſes ingreſſus, vel intelligere talia potuit, vel proferre. Nos verò pro eo ſolo quod mediocriter licet, credimus tamen Domino Jeſu, & ejus gloriamur eſſe diſcipuli: Nec tamen audemus dicere, quod facie ad faciem ab ipſo traditam ſuſceperimus intelligentiam eorum, quae divinis libris referuntur, quae quidem certus ſum quod ne ipſe quidem mundus pro virtute ac majeſtate ſenſuum capere poteſt. Propter quod, pronunciare quidem de his quae dicimus, ſicut Apoſtoli potuerunt, non audemus. In eo autem gratias agimus, quod cùm multi imperitiam ſuam neſciant, & morus ſuos incompoſitos & inordinatos, interdum etiam & ineptos at fabuloſos, cum omni intentione, ſicut ſibi videtur, quaſi veriſſima aſſertione annuntient, nos de rebus magnis & his quae ſupra nos ſunt, ignorantiam noſtri non ignoramus. Apolog. Euſebii Caeſar: pro Origine, inter opera Hieronymi, tom. 9. pa. 114. modeſt haeſitancy of a ſeeker and yet learner; and as One that had rather doubt of many things he thinks he knows, then over raſhly determine, or impudently pronounce and conteſt for thoſe things he thinks there is the leaſt cauſe to doubt. The way was untrodden, where as it was not imposſible to err at firſt, (nor improbable) ſo ſhould it not be unpardonable, there to have ſtept awry, where ſcarce any had ſet a foot before. It had been, eaſier to take on in the beaten road, as the faſhion is, to skim the top, and by laying together by helf of a Concordance thoſe places of ſacred writ where Born and Again are mentioned, to have heaped together ſuch Materials, and hammered out ſuch a form of doctrin as thoſe places, ſeverally and joyntly, would have afforded: But the(1)Levium metallorum fructus in ſummo eſt: illa opulentiſſima ſunt quorum in alto latet vena. Seneca, in Epiſt. 23. vein of precious metal lies lightly deeper, the ſurface of the ground there is often dry and barren, and to lay a ſure foundation of true interpretation, it may be needfull ſometimes to dig deeper then the very text in its originals, The Scriptures are, I confeſs, light of themſelves, and have from heaven to guide our ſouls into the ways of peace, but if they chance to burn dim (as in many hard places they muſt be confeſſed to (do or have their light eclipſed by any interpoſitions, (worſt of the rubbiſh contracted by time) the light of a candle there may not be deſpiſed for help, to light us at leaſt up to their ſenſe, nor the ſnuffers of the Sanctuary (made though they were of(2)Scire prophana quidem ſanctis non credo prophanum, Si non illo… mente prophana legant. Joan. Buxtorf. in Grammat. Heb. prophane gold from Ophir) to trim the light, to quicken its brightneſs, to make it ſhine clearer, direct farther, guide ſurer then otherwiſe of it ſelf, it would or could: And for this the things delivered have, I hope, here ſome uſe. I ſay again, it had been eaſier to have bin the following Chariot, to have traced others, to have kept the beaten path, when not only the comfort of ſociety might happily have lightened ſome burden of the way, but the directing feet of paſſenger before have preſerved from error, and guided ſurer and ſafer thoſe that were to follow after: But this liked not me. This had been but to repeat others toughts, I eſteem it more to add of mine own; as counting it more anſwerable to the deſire and expectations of good men, and greater advantage to truth, to be the author of one new thought, then the continuer or repeater of twenty: which is more then to trade with the old ſtock, to lay in by addition ſomewhat of new ſtore, to make a beneficial and fruitfull increaſe of what is already come in, and to ſet up a new mark or ſtand as it were, to direct yet farther into the terra in cognita of divine myſteries, then paſt diſcoveries or intelligences have, or could have brought us acquainted with. But a grain of truth is precious, yet more, of Chriſtian truth, moſt of all, in the profoundeſt, obſcureſt, richeſt, divineſt myſteries thereof; toward diſcovery whereof theſe things I hope may afford ſome light: and ſo leaving all to your conſideration, meditation, application, conclude, as I uſe, by giving due praiſe and honour to our moſt glorious and moſt gracious Lord God, by whoſe gracious favour it is, that we have thus leave to meet in his houſe, to enquire and learn the things of his councel and will; who bleſs the opportunities to his own allowed ends, that we may proceed from knowledge to knowledg, from vertue to vertue, from faith to faith, til we be perfect in Chriſt Jeſus our Saviour: To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt be honour and praiſe everlaſting. Amen.
Cyprian: de baptizand. Novat. Epiſt. 77. Reſcripſi, fili chariſſime, quantum mediocritas, noſtra valuit, & oſtendi, quid nos, quantum in nobis eſt, ſentiamus; nemini praeſcribentes, quo minùs ſtatuat quod putat unuſquiſque praepoſitus, actus ſui rationem Domino redditurus: ſecundum quod beatus Apoſtolus Paulus in Epiſtola ſua ad Romanos ſcribit & dicit, Unuſquiſque noſtrum pro ſe rationem dabit. Non ergo nos invicem judicemus.
Opto te, fili chariſſime, ſemper bene valere.