Ch;rp. 2. Sect. 4 Looking rmto 1tfU4. Book IV· is gi'?Jen. But ho~ may I hope that this child is borne to m.e ? and that this fonne t$ gtven to me? what ground for that ! out of chefc words of the Prophet I !hall draw a double evidenc~ which may be in!lead of all : our fi.rfr evidence from the former' words, unto m a child is borne ; our fecond evidence from the latter words, unto M a fonne is gh~en. 1 • From the former words I lay down. this poGtion, unto us a child is berne, if rve are new borne. the furefr way to know our intm:!t in· the birth·of Chrifr, itist;know (hrift borne in us, orfermedinus,astheApofile3aL4, ,~ fpeaks. The new birth is the effeCl: of Chrifts birth, and a fure , Ggne that Ch.rift is borne to us. Say then 0 my foul, art thou borne a new ? is there in thee a new nature, a new principle? is the image of God and of Chrift in thy .f0ul ? fo the A poftle ftiles it, the bearing of the image of the heav_enly; why then was l Cor.Ip 41, Chrit! incarnate for thee, tf thy new btrth be not cleare enough , thou mayfr try it further by thefe following tules? · 1 • Where this new birth is, there is new deftres, new comforts, new cvntentments. Sometimes with the prodigar thou wan content with huskes, but now nothing will fatisfie thee but thy Fathers rnanGon, and thy Fathers feafrs; fometimes tholl mindeft only earEhly things, but now the favour of God, the light of hii (:ountenance, fociety with him, and enjoying of him,- are thy chiefe deGres; this a good figne! Davids heart and flefh, and ·. · . all bre:tthed afcer God ; my foul longeth, yea even fainteth for the p.a\m 84~;~ Court,· ,1 the L ord, my heart and my jle(h cryth out f•r the liviM God. Men cruely_ regenerate do not judge it fo happy to b~ wealthy, great, and honoured in the world, a> to have the light of Gods favour fhine upon them ; 0 my foul dofi thou fee the glory of the world, and thou fallelt down to worlhip it? -doft thou fay in the increaf\~ of worldly comfort, it is good to be here ? then feare thy felfe; but if thefe things compared with Chriil: are vaine, and light, and of poore, and meane efieem, then hop~ well, and be a!fured that chou art borne againe, and that Chrifr is formed in thee. 2. Where this newbirth is, there is new words, new works, new affeCtions, a new converfation old thing! are paff'rd away C - - behold, all things are become new. Pa:l once a pedecutor, but ~fr~~~·: 71 ~ehold vow he pra7eth. And fuch >rere fome ofyou, but now)( al'e 1 Co:.·'· I~; r t ?- wafhed? ' ~
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