The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
More largely ſhewing other things concerning the matter of regeneration, eſpecially the renewing of the life of God in vsus all that are new borne, which before were vtterly void of the ſaid life.
BVT leauing that point, (till afterward) let vsus in the next place looke into the excellent gifts and graces, which by the former incorporation into Chriſt, the children of God doe receiue, and in reſpect whereof we are ſaid to be partaker of the diuine nature, and the which likewiſe may be eſteemed as parts (as it were) of that matter whereof they do conſiſt.
Theſe things let vsus conſider by oppoſition of that vntounto them, that men are ſince the fall of Adam, as naturally deſcending from Adam, and being (as it were) boughs and branches of him.
In Adam and by Adam, ſince his fall all men (Chriſt himſelfe onelyonly excepted) hauehave vtterly loſt that excellent and glorious image, wherein Adam and Eue at the firſt were both created: Geneſ 1. 26. 27. This loſſe of that excellent and glorious image is deſcribed by this phraſe of dying the death: Geneſ. 2. 17. This death was not a naturall death, but it was a ſpirituall death: It was not the ſeparation of the ſoule and the body, but it was the ſeparation of God and man, as touching that gratious familiarity which before had beene betwixt them. As the ſoule is the life of the body, ſo is God the ſpirituall life of the whole man. For man is not ſaid to be aliue vntounto God any longer, then he is in grace and fauour with God: ſo that to die the death in that place, was to be vtterly depriued of the inherent grace and fauour of God which before they were created in.
From that time therefore, that our firſt parents had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and thereby had defaced the image of God in them, they were drowned ouer head and eares in all ſinne; and ſo now alſo in the ſtate of condemnation: and were no more able (of themſelues) to hauehave gotten out of the ſame, then a man drowned and dead in the bottom of a great riuer, or pond, is able of himſelfe to get out. And this is that dying the death before ſpoken of, euen a ſpirituall death, ten thouſand times worſe then any naturall death: I meane, then any ſeparation of the ſoule and body, though the ſame be by neuer ſo violent meanes. For it is the beginning and firſt ſtep vntounto that euerlaſting death of body and ſoule, whereof afterward we ſhall ſpeake more at large: and from the which, neither wee could hauehave freed our ſelues, neither could any other creatures, or all creatures, if God himſelfe had not ſent his owne ſonne, as before hath been ſhewed. And that ſpirituall life which is contrary to the ſaid death, and which is alſo the firſt effect of Chriſt in vsus after that once wee are ingrafted and incorporated into him, is the next point of the matter of our regeneration, and being the children of God.
That we may the better ſee what this life of God is in vsus, let vsus firſt more largely conſider what the former death is, and how all men are by nature wholly poſſeſſed thereof. That therefore which the Apoſtle ſaith of the Epheſians, is to be vnderſtood of all men by nature: viz. that they are dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes. Epheſ. 2. 1. without God and without Chriſt in the world (verſe 12.) as not beleeuing in God or Chriſt, and therefore being condemned already, as before we heard our Sauiour to ſay: Ioh. 3. 18. and the rather were they ſo indeed dead in their ſinnes, becauſe they were the children of him that had the power of death, that is, of the diuell. Heb. 2. 14. compared with Ioh. 8. 44. For Sathan hauing once put out the light and the life of God in Adam, whereby he was the child of God, like vntounto God, did make him a ſonne to himſelfe; ſo that as before hee did beare the image of God, ſo for euer afterward hee and all his (Chriſt onelyonly excepted) did beare the image of the diuell: in which reſpect it is ſaide generally, that hee that committeth ſinne is of the diuell: 1. Iohn 3. 8.
Thus we ſee, that our naturall ſtate is not as the Papiſts plead it to be, by allegorizing vponupon him that our Sauiour ſaith did fall into the hands of theeues, and was by them wounded and left halfe dead. Luk 10. 30. but farre worſe: not halfe miſerable, but altogether miſerable: not wounded, and yet aliue, though halfe dead, but ſo wounded, that we are altogether dead.
We hauehave a vegetatiue and an animall life, as all liuing and brutiſh creatures hauehave: we hauehave a reaſonable life, to talke, and reaſon and diſcourſe, and determine and conclude of naturall things, and of things pertaining to this life, whereby we differ from beaſts: but as touching the ſpirituall life whereby to thinke of any thing, to affect any thing, to approue of any thing, to ſpeake of any thing, or to doe any thing towards eternall ſaluation of body and ſoule; and as touching that life of God, that is, that life that is acceptable to God, (as the worke of God: Ioh. 6. 29. and the workes of the Lord: 1. Cor, 15. 5. 8. are ſuch as are acceptable to God) as touching this life (I ſay) which is the firſt degree and the very beginning of eternal life, to be afterward enioyed with God and his holy Angels in heauen, all the whole poſterity of Adam (Chriſt only ſtill excepted) is altogether void of. For as the root and ſtocke of a tree, being altogether dead without any ſparke of naturall life therin, it is not poſſible that any of the boughs or branches can be aliue; and as it is not poſſible for thoſe men and women that are altogether naturally dead (their ſoules and bodies being ſeparated one from another) to bring forth liuing children: ſo it is not poſſible, that our firſt parents beeing altogether dead vntounto God, and without the life of God before ſpoken of, we or any other of their poſterity ſhould be aliue vntounto God.
They may ſeeme to hauehave this ſpirituall life, and this life of God, becauſe after a naturall manner they can conceiue, and doe conceiue ſome things thereof; yea (ſometimes) the greateſt myſteries thereof, either after a meere carnall ſort; or by the ſpeciall wiſedom of God reuealing the ſame vntounto them for the furthering of the ſaluation of other, and for the making of themſelues the more inexcuſable, and ſo for the increaſing of their own condemnation: but in truth and deed they are altogether deſtitute of it. In this caſe it is with them, as it is with many a woman, that hauing a Tympany, & by the abundance of water, or of ſome other matter of the ſaid Tympany or other ſuch like diſeaſe, feeling ſome little ſtirring in her body, like the mouing of a yong infant, doth therefore thinke her ſelfe with child: and yet in the end ſhe is deceiued, being not with child with any other thing then of a diſeaſe vntounto death: ſo (I ſay) many naturall and wicked men hauing ſome ſimilitude, and like actions of the life of God in them; and feeling as it were ſome little motions of ſuch life, (as it were little flaſhes, ſuddenly wrought, and ſuddenly vaniſhing, like lightning) do therfore thinke themſelues with child of Chriſt, and to hauehave conceiued him in the womb of their hearts, but in the end they are deceiued, and find themſelues only with child of a ſpirituall ſickneſſe vntounto death; that is, of hypocriſie and of a bare reſemblance of the life of God in them, and not to hauehave that life it ſelfe.
This is not only euident by the former teſtimony of the Apoſtle, but alſo by another afterward in the ſame Epiſtle, where he deſcribeth our naturall ſtate and condition to be, that we had our vnderſtanding darkned, and were ſtrangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vsus becauſe of the hardneſſe of our hearts. Epheſ. 4. 18. Thus (I ſay) in that place the Apoſtle deſcribeth the ſtate of all men naturally.
The ſame namely that we are all void of that life of God, is manifeſt by other reaſons.
To omit that before inſinuated, viz. that as the body is dead without the communion of the ſoule, ſo man cannot be aliue vntounto God that hath loſt his communion with God: and that indeed naturally men are without God in the world, and that becauſe they are without Chriſt: Epheſ. 2. 12. by whom alone there is communion betwixt God and man, and in whom alone is that life ſo that he that hath the ſonne hath life: and he that hath not the ſonne hath not that life: 1. Ioh. 5. 11. 12. although after a common manner effectiuely we all liue, moue, and hauehave our being in God: Acts 17. 18. To omit (I ſay) this reaſon, the ſame is further manifeſt, becauſe all meer naturall men, are alſo without the immortall ſeed of God in them, whereby they ſhould be borne againe the children of God. This immortall ſeed is the ſpirit of God, as before we hauehave heard. Meer naturall men therfore being without this ſeed, how can they hauehave the life of God in them?
Againe, if naturally we hauehave this life of God in vsus, it muſt be in our ſoules, or in our bodies. It is neither in our ſoules, nor in our bodies: therefore not at all.
Touching our ſoules, what life of God can be in them, when as we cannot ſo much as thinke a good thought of our ſelues? 2. Cor. 3. 5. but al the imaginations of our heart are continually euill: Geneſ. 6. 5. and when as we cannot ſo much as will any thing that is good of our ſelues; but it is God that worketh the will as well as the worke? Philip. 2. 13.
Where there is any life, there will be ſome hunger and thirſt after meat and drinke for preſeruing of life, or at leaſt ſome deſire of other meanes of life. But (alaſſe) ſo farre are we from all hunger and thirſt after either bread or water of life, that we do vtterly refuſe them and reiect them offered vntounto vsus. Yea, (that which is more) we lay foorth our ſiluer for that which is not bread: and we labour and take great paines for that which will not ſatisfie vsus: Iſai. 55. 2. Thoſe things therfore being as it were the very breath of the life of God, if we hauehave them not, how can we hauehave that life of God it ſelfe? For what life can there be without breath?
If our ſoules be thus dead, what life of God can be in our bodies? As our Sauiour ſaith: If the light that is in vsus be darkneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe? Matth. 6. 23. ſo may I ſay, If the life that is in vsus be deadneſſe, how great is that deadneſſe?
Our eares cannot attend to the word of God, (therefore alſo not to any other goodneſſe) except God open our hearts, Acts 16. 14. we cannot ſo much as turne our eyes from any vanity except the Lord do turn them, Pſ. 119. 36. we cannot open our lips that our mouth may ſhew forth the praiſe of God, except God do open them. Pſal. 51. 15. neither can we ſo much as ſay that Ieſus is the Lord, but by the holy ghoſt: 1. Cor. 12. 5.
Moreouer, this our ſpirituall death doth appeare by our bearing all ſpirituall burthens (though neuer ſo heauy) without any ſenſe and feeling of them. What is heauier then ſand? yet all the ſand …n the whole world, yea the whole earth with all the minerals of ſiluer, gold, lead, yron, tynne, and pewter, with all the quarries of ſtones, with all the buildings and all other creatures thereupon, is not ſo heauy as ſinne. Did not the imputation only of other mens ſinnes vntounto Chriſt lie ſo heauy vponupon him, that he (though he were God and man) was in ſuch an agony that his ſweat was like drops of bloud: yet doe all men remaining in their naturall ſtate, and not being born againe, go vnderunder their own inherent ſinnes, originall and actuall, how long ſo euer they hauehave continued in them, and howſoeuer they hauehave multiplied and aggrauated them; they goe vnderunder them (I ſay) as lightly, without any ſenſe or feeling of the waight and burden of them, as though indeed they had none at all. Is not this an euident argument of extreme deadneſſe? For what do they that are once dead feele, whatſoeuer is laid vponupon them? To ſpeake all in a word, and not to ſtand any longer vponupon particulars, the Apoſtle from other ſcriptures doth not only ſay that we are dead vntounto all goodneſſe, but alſo that in eueryevery part & member of our whole man, we are aliue vntounto all euill. For thus he deſcribeth the naturall ſtate of all men: There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that doth vnderſtand: there is none that ſeeketh God. They hauehave all gone out of the way: they hauehave been made altogether vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one: their throat is an open ſepulchre they hauehave vſed their tongues to deceit: the poiſon of Aſpes is vnderunder their lips. Their mouth is full of curſing and bitterneſſe. Their feet are ſwift to ſhed bloud, &c. Rom. 3. 10. By theſe things we ſee, that though naturall men do liue, yet as it is ſaid of the widdow that liueth in pleaſures, that ſhe is dead, whiles ſhe liueth, 1. Tim. 5. 6. ſo it may be ſaid of all naturall men, liuing in the pleaſures of ſinne, that they are dead whiles they ſo liue.
This our liuing vntounto ſinne and in ſinne, (being dead to all goodneſſe) may in ſome ſort be called a ſpirituall life: not as ſpirituall is oppoſed to carnall, but in two other reſpects: firſt, becauſe it is from that vncleane ſpirit, Mark. 1. 23. & 7. 25. 26 who is not only the father of lies, Ioh. 8. 44. but alſo of all other euill: ſecondly, becauſe all the workes of a ſinfull life are performed to the ſame vncleane ſpirit.
Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith not only, that we are (naturally) dead in treſpaſſes, but alſo that wee walked in them after the Prince that ruleth in the aire, that is, according to his commaundement and preſcription: Epheſ. 2. 2 Our Sauiour alſo ſaith that ſuch ſinnes are the workes and luſts of the diuell: Ioh. 8. 41. 44. And as Idolaters are ſaid to ſacrifice to diuels, 1. Cor. 10. 20. ſo all wicked men may be ſaid to do all that they doe vntounto diuels. Thus we ſee in part the miſerable and wofull ſtate of all naturall men. For what is more fearefull then death? when Saul did but heare (only by the father of lyes in the likeneſſe of Samuel; and therefore the rather ſpeaking the truth, that he might the more confirme Saul in his error touching the raiſing of Samuel) when (I ſay) Saul did but heare, that the next day hee ſhould be deliuered into the hands of the Philiſtines and bee ſlaine, how did it affect him? How did it ſtrike him with feare? verily ſo, that he fell ſtraightway all along vponupon the earth, and there was no ſtrength in him: yea ſo that neither the woman, (the witch that had raiſed vp the diuell in the likeneſſe of Samuel) nor any of his own ſeruants with him could ſcarce faſten any comfort vponupon him: 1. Sam. 28. 20. &c. If the very tidings of this naturall death be ſo fearefull, how much more fearefull is that ſpirituall death before ſpoken of?
Hauing thus in part ſhewed our naturall miſery by theſe things ſpoken of our ſpirituall deadneſſe, let vsus now ſee the change that is made in vsus by our incorporation into Chriſt, in our adoption, and regeneration. Let vsus therefore vnderſtand that in our ſaid regeneration and new birth by Ieſus Chriſt, we are deliuered from that our foreſaid miſerable ſtate. As before we did beare the image of the earthly man. ſo now we beare the image of him, that is from heauen heauenly: that is, of the Lord Chriſt. As Chriſt in his diuine eſſence, is the brightneſſe of the glory of the father, and the ingraued forme of his perſon, Heb. 1. 3. ſo we in quality being made partaker of the diuine nature; and being in Chriſt made new creatures, and being alſo the workmanſhip of God in Chriſt Ieſus, created vntounto good workes, that wee ſhould walke in them, (as hath been before ſhewed by ſeuerall ſcriptures) we are by this meanes made like to Chriſt Ieſus, and conſequently alſo to God himſelfe.
As therefore the Apoſtle ſaith that naturally we are dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, ſo hee ſaith in the ſame place, that God which is rich in mercy, through his great louelove wherewith he loued vsus euen when we were ſo dead by ſinnes (or in ſinnes) hath quickned vsus, (or made vsus aliue) in Chriſt, Ephe. 2. 4. 5. Where let it be obſerued that the word (quickned) is only expreſſed originally in that Note.fift verſe, and that although it be interpoſed by tranſlators in the firſt verſe, for perſpicuities ſake (as they thought) yet it is rather there to be omitted: and that that firſt verſe is rather to be read with the laſt verſe of the firſt chapter of Chriſts filling all things in all things (or with all things) that is, with all gifts fit for eueryevery one: ſo that the verb filled, is rather to be vnderſtood in the firſt verſe, then the verb quickned: and that firſt verſe to be vnderſtood as an amplification of the generall handled in the end of the former Chapter, by the particular inſtance of the Epheſians, as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: As Chriſt hath generally filled all things giuen vntounto him by the father, with all gifts fit for them, ſo particularly he hath filled you that were by nature dead in your treſpaſſes and ſinnes: and ſo he deſcribeth by that occaſion their naturall ſtate: verſ. 1. 2. 3. and then he deſcribeth our new and ſpirituall ſtate in the 4. and 5. verſes by Ieſus Chriſt.
But to leaue this place, and to returne to the former point of Chriſts freeing vsus from ſpirituall death, and quickning vsus and making vsus aliue againe, Paul ſaith further, that Chriſt hath aboliſhed death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Goſpell: 2. Tim. 1. 10. which Goſpell is therefore called the word of life. Ioh. 6. 68. Philip. 2. 16.
Our Sauiour likewiſe ſaith: Verely verely I ſay vntounto you, the houre ſhall come, and now is, when the dead ſhall heare the voice of the ſonne of God, and they that heare it ſhall liue. For as the father hath life in himſelfe, ſo likewiſe hath he giuen to the ſonne to hauehave life in himſelfe. Ioh. 5. 25. 26. viz. to beſtow life vponupon all that the father hath giuen vntounto him. Ioh. 10. 28. 29. EueryEvery where (ſaith Paul againe) we beare about in our bodies, the dying of our Lord Ieſus (that is, eueryevery where we doe in a manner die daily for Ieſus his ſake. 1. Cor. 15. 38.) But wherefore? That the life of Ieſus might alſo be made manifeſt in our bodies. 2. Cor. 4. 10. But what meaneth he, by making manifeſt the life of Ieſus in our bodies? Nothing but this, that by their conſtant, patient, and cheerfull ſufferings of ſo many things (as it were ſo many deaths for Chriſts ſake) all men might the better ſee, how Chriſt had quickned them, and what great meaſure of ſpirituall life he had wrought in them? So the Apoſtle telleth the Romanes, that they were dead to ſinne, but aliue to God, in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Rom. 6. 11. Of himſelfe he ſaith, I am crucified with Chriſt, but I liue: yet not I any more, but Christ liueth in me: and in that that now I liue in the fleſh, (that is, in this fraile and mortall condition, as the word fleſh is taken, Heb. 5. 7.) I liue by faith in the ſonne of God, &c? Gal. 2. 20. Many other the like places to the ſame purpoſe, I doe willingly for beare, that I may not be too tedious. By theſe we doe ſufficiently ſee, that being borne anew vntounto God in Chriſt, we are not ſtill-borne (as men vſe to ſpeake of children dead before birth) but that we hauehave a ſpirituall life in him and by him. Yet let vsus vnderſtand this by the way, that our ſpirituall life by Chriſt Ieſus, is not altogether the Note.ſame that our former ſpirituall death was by Adam, and by our ſinnes traduced from Adam. For, as we hauehave heard, we were perfectly dead, (not halfe dead) in our ſinnes by Adam: euen ſo dead that wee were altogether void of the life of God, and without any remnants of the former image of God in vsus. But our life renewed by Ieſus Chriſt, is not in this world perfect, and without ſome remnant of the old Adam in vsus. Therefore we are willed eueryevery day, to put off the old man: Epheſ. 4. 2. and that we caſt away all filthineſſe, and ſuperfluity of malitiouſneſſe. I am. 1. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 1. as alſo that we put on Chriſt: Rom. 13. 14. and the new man, which after God (or according to God) is created vntounto righteouſneſſe in true holineſſe: Epheſ. 4. 24. &c. No man therfore hath ſo put off or caſt off the old man, but that there be ſtill ſome ragges and patches remaining of him. No man hath ſo put on the new man, but that he may put him on ſomewhat more. As no man putteth on all his apparell at once, but firſt one thing, then another, ſo is it with putting on of Chriſt Ieſus. All our life here is but as it were the morning of the life to come, to dreſſe vsus for our mariage vntounto Chriſt: as Paul ſaith that he had prepared the Corinthians (that is, he had laboured to dreſſe them) for one husband, and to preſent them a pure virgin vntounto Chriſt: 2. Cor. 11. 2. Notwithſtanding that which remaineth of the old man, is but (as I ſaid) peeces and patches. For there is ſuch a rent made in him by Chriſt, that all remaining is but as ragges, torne one from another, and not ſowen together, and therefore ſuch, as in the end will be the more eaſily ſhaken off. Though all our former ſinnes doe remaine in ſubſtance in vsus, yet Chriſt hath ſo taken away their life from them, that they are but as wounds in a dead body. As Chriſt in his reſurrection Note.had ſome ſcarres remaining in his body (of the wounds which he had receiued before his death) and that the better to aſſure weake and vnbeleeuing Thomas, and all other therein like to Thomas, that he was the ſame that had been before put to death: ſo in our regeneration to be the children of God, whereby we are buried with Chriſt vntounto his death: Rom. 6. 4. Coloſ. 2. 12. and raiſed vp likewiſe with him by his reſurrection to newneſſe of life, Coloſſ. 3. 1. there remaine ſome ſcarres of our old man and of thoſe things whereby and wherein before we were dead, to put vsus the better in mind, what we were by nature before Chriſt quickned vsus and reſtored vsus to life. The ſaid ſinnes alſo ſo remaining touching their bodies (as it were) are ſo without life by Chriſts quickning of vsus, that they are but as dead carcaſes, to ſhew what a mighty victory Chriſt hath gotten in vsus. Furthermore the moſt that can be ſaid of the ſinnes remaining in the regenerated, is this, that being wounded to death, they are mortified, as quickſiluer is mortified in oyntments. For as the quickſiluer in the bodily ſubſtance of it remaineth, but is killed touching the life and all hurtfull power that before it had, and ſo is made ſoueraigne to ſome healthfull vſes by mixture of other things with it (which alſo may be ſaid of the conuerting of any other things of a venemous nature in themſelues, to be antidots and preſeruatiues againſt poiſon by art, and mixture of other things with them:) ſo the ſinnes of the regenerate remaining touching their carcaſes, are ſpoiled of their life, and of all hurtfull power before in them: and being mixt (as it were) with the grace of God infuſed in vsus, and communicated vntounto vsus by Chriſt, in ſome reſpects (partly before, and partly afterward to be more ſpoken of) are turned to our good. Finally touching the life of our ſinnes remaining in vsus, after regeneration, it is no other then the life that remaineth in the body of a ſerpent, the head whereof is cruſhed in pieces. For though the body of ſuch a ſerpent, may perhaps moue a little; yet it is but for a time, and it can doe no harme at all.
This ſpirituall life thus hitherto ſpoken of, is to be diſcerned by our ſpirituall breathing, and by other ſpirituall effects thereof. As the naturall life is to be diſcerned by naturall breathing, and by other naturall effects ſutable thereunto: ſo is our ſpirituall life by ſpirituall breathing, and by other ſpirituall effects. By ſpirituall breathing, I meane ſpirituall thoughts and meditations of the mind and the like motions and affections of the heart. If therefore, whereas naturally our minds are ſet altogether vponupon earthly things, there ſhall be ſuch a change wrought in vsus, that they ſhall be as much ſet vponupon the things that are aboue where Chriſt Ieſus ſitteth at the right hand of God, Coloſſ. 3. 1. as before they were ſet vponupon the things here below: and if we ſhall couet and deſire, and eueryevery way affect heauenly things, as much as euer we hauehave done earthly, then ſhall we hauehave good teſtimony to our ſelues, that we are borne from aboue and are the children of him that is the father of lights and of eueryevery good and perfect gift: whereas before alſo we loathed the Manna that came down from heauen, as much as the people of Iſrael euen loathed that Manna that God gaue them in the wilderneſſe for feeding of their bodies, we ſhall on the contrary hunger as much after the bread of God that laſteth to eternall life, and thirſt after the water of life, which whoſoeuer drinketh of he ſhall neuer thirſt againe; and if we ſhall as new borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby, 1. Pet. 2. 2. this ſhall be a further aſſurance to our own hearts that we our ſelues are borne of God.
The like is to be ſaid of other ſpirituall actions, ſo alſo of our ſpirituall growth and increaſe. For as the naturall child new borne doth daily wax and increaſe in ſtature and in ſtrength till it be able to goe and to doe other things anſwerable to the growth thereof, as digeſting of ſtronger meats, bearing of burdens, ſpeaking like a man, &c: ſo is it with all that are new borne, not of mortall but of immortall ſeed by the word of God. They will be able to digeſt high points of doctrine, and not ſay of ſome things, as ſome ſaid of Chriſts doctrine touching his fleſh to bee meat in deed, and his bloud to be drinke indeed, This is an hard ſaying; who can heare it? and ſo take occaſion to leaue Chriſt, and to walke no more with him: Ioh. 6. 60. and 66. They will be able to walke ſtrongly vp and downe, not ſtumbling at eueryevery ſtraw.
They will bee able to beare Gods chaſtiſements without murmuring, & wrongs at the hands of men without ſeeking reuenge, &c. They will be able to do the works of God, both belonging to all Chriſtians, and alſo which are more ſutable to their ſpeciall callings. Theſe things (I ſay) and ſuch like, will all borne againe, grow to doe: and by theſe things they ſhall diſcerne their ſpirituall birth, and the life of God to be in them. Notwithſtanding theſe things are not alike in all that are new borne, no not in all of the ſame ſpirituall age. For as it is amongſt naturall men touching naturall ſtrength, ſome are of a low ſtature, ſome of a taller, ſome are ſtrong men, ſome are weaklings, yea, ſometimes the yonger are taller and ſtronger then their elders by many yeeres: ſo is it amongſt ſpirituall men touching this ſpirituall life, and this ſpirituall birth wherof now we ſpeake. But theſe things ſhall be more manifeſt, by other things after to be ſpoken.
This life of God is the more excellent, becauſe it is euerlaſting: Being once begun, it ſhall neuer hauehave end: being once giuen, it ſhall neuer be taken away. Our naturall life ſhall hauehave an end: (I meane the life of the body and ſoule together, begun and continued by naturall meanes) and no man knoweth how ſoone. But the life of God ſhall continue, as God himſelfe abideth for euer; and as the ſeed whereby men are begotten to this life, is not mortall but immortall. But of this alſo more afterward.
In the meane time, by that which hath been ſaid, it may appeare, that this benefit of our ſpirituall life, is a matter well worthy of all good account and reckoning. This preſent life, which our bodies doe liue in this world, by their communion with the ſoule, is greatly to be eſteemed: yea, more then all other things appertaining thereunto. Satan himſelfe could ſay vntounto God, Skin for skinne, and all that euer a man hath will he giuegive for his life. Iob 2. 4. Amongſt the benefits for which wiſedome is commended about ſiluer and gold, and pearles, and all things that can be deſired, length of daies is not only one, but alſo the firſt, and placed in the right hand of wiſedome, whereas riches and glory are in the ſecond place, and ſaid to be in the left hand. Pro. 3. 16. Our Sauiour ſaith, Is not the life more worth then meat? Mat. 6. 25. What then is to be compared vntounto it? what benefit ſhall a man hauehave by any other thing, yea, by all other things, if he hauehave not meat? The Prophet ſaith, that none of thoſe that truſt in their goods, and beaſt themſelues in the multitude of their riches, can redeeme his brother (viz. appointed by God to dye) or giuegive a ranſome for him (that is, no man can by any mony prolong the daies of his friend, or buy out his death) ſo precious is the redemption of their ſoules, &c. that he may liue for euer. Pſal. 49. 6. 7. 8. 9. Is this naturall life ſo precious, which yet (as I ſaid) ſhall hauehave an end, and no man knoweth, either how ſoon, or in what place, or in what manner? How excellent then is that ſpirituall life, the life of God, and the life that is eternall? The more excellent therefore that this life is, (being a part of that matter wherein conſiſteth our new birth, next to Chriſt himſelfe, and comming by Chriſt,) the more excellent alſo is the new birth it ſelfe of the children of God, and their ſtate and condition thereby. Thus much for the life of God, which all the children of God hauehave in their regeneration by Ieſus Chriſt.