5 H c T. I 11 I. Fdlfe Signs. ófGrace. 205 Man will continue firm : "freed' obferved fume men had a difpofition to Moral) virtues, but not anhabit, now this difpofition he madeeafily feparable from the fubjed, whereas the other made a man like.a (quire ftone, which wales foever it talleth, it will (land Pure : You have fome bruit creatures thatadmany things like men, but becaufethey have not anhumane nature they areHill bruitifh, and toma- ny thingsmaybe done in the wayof holineffe, which yet come not from that in- wardprincipleof renovation, and therefore is but copper and not gold r Oh let us not thenconfider fo much theoutward adions,' the outward duties of religion, as that root from whence they grow, that principle from whence they come, are they fixed, fetled ones by wayof lifein Thee? then art thou born of God. Secondly, By this means a man dothparticipate of god; and whereas we cannot be like God in his greatneffe, infiniteneffe, omnipotency, we are like him in this, Be yehsly, for Iamholy : Lev.' 1.44. As therefore in God, the Angels,of all Gods attributesdoefpecially celebratethat, Holy, Holy, Holy, Ifa.6.3. fo of all confide. rations in man this ishis greateft glory : it's not wealth but holineffe, its not ho- nours but holineffe, it's not prudence andwifedom,but holineffe. This new na- cure is a participátion of God ( fo far ascreatures can partake ) in that glorious attribute of his: Magiltrates they are called Gods, becau(eof that external' au- thority God hath ftampedon them, andbecanfe they referable him herein, but the peopleofGod referable him in a more excellent and admirable way. The Apoftle cals itbearing theimageof the heavenly, t Cor.t S.48. Hence come thofe expref- fions of letting our affections on things above, and fitting with Chrifi inheavenly places. This is a wonderfull elevation and lifting upof thenature ofman As the humane natureof Chrifi was infinitely glorified to be hypoftatically united unto thedivine nature, fo it isa great honour for man tobe gracionfly united to Chrill, whereby as the branch receiving juyce from the Vine, brings forth fruit fuceable to thenatureof the Vine, fothe foul ingrafted into Chrile produceth operations futeable thereunto. Thirdly, Hereby the work ofgrace itmanifelled to be a reall, ankle, working thing inaman: for why is it compared to life, to a newbirth, to afountain, but only to thew that theft things are not imaginations or dreams, but carry along with them real! operations ? As a man cannot bave fire in his bofome, but he will quickly findeit fcorching and heating there, fo a man cannot have this new na- ture infnfed into him, but it will incline and move the foul, not fuffering it to lie (till a fee what a fire this kindled inDavids, andPesiehearts, therefore the fpirit of regeneration, Ir.4. is compared to the (pint of burning, which like fire confu- meth the droffe, a godly man is Paid tohaverivers of waterrunning oat ofhie bel- ly. It's true the people of God are fometimes indefolations, indefections, they feel no life, theyapprehend no power of grace upon their fouls, and then they look upon themfelvesas dry bones, withered branches : but this is fora while on- ly, this is a temptation, and afterwards thetapofgrace will manifeft it feltmore The Tree thoughit hath life in ir, yet in the winter buds not, bloffomes not, fo nei- ther may that principle of grace difcover it felt in its good elfeds, and then it clothnot hold, that a good treemay beknown by itsgood fruit : Thus e/Inflin in hisconfefflonscloth acknowledge thefereali andpowerful! motionsof God upon his foul. Fourthly, Beednfe his nature re new, hic anionsalto are new : all Old things are paged away, aCor.l. t 8. Peal thatonce perfecuted, behold he prayeth, andTisch werefameof yea (faith Paul) butye are wafhed, butye are eleanfed; As everyman is ( faith Ariflotle) fo is he affected, fo he fpeaks, and fo he lives ; When there- fore thy life is fupernaturall, fo thy affections, thywords, thy converfation is alto: The life that I now live, it by faith in thefanof gad, faith Peal, Gal. 2.io. Oh this is a fad fymptom, that few are acquainted with regeneration, becaufe all things elfeare not made new in them: Theyhave the old converfation, the old affections, the old difcourfe, the old paffìons they tiled to have é This ar- Dd d gueth
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