sAINT s COMPARED TO B AB E s. Book IV. METAPHOR. II. A Babe bath not only a Fa– ther, but alfo a Mother. Ill. A Babe partakes of the fame Nature of itS Parents : '!"hat which is born of the Flejh is F!ejh, John iii. 6. IV. A Babe is formed, by the mighty Power of God in the Womb. . V. A Babe i! born, or brought forth into the World. PARALLEL. of incorruptible, by tbt fVord of God, that liveth i!nd ' abideth for eiier, Jm;z. i. 18. IL A Saint has not only God for his Father, but the Church for his Mother. Jerufalem, that is above, is the Mother of us all, Gal. iv. 26. Ill. A Babe in Chrifl: partakes of Chrifr's fpi– ritual Nature: '!"hat which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, or Jph·itual, John iii. 6. IV. A Saint is formed or created by the mighty Power of Chrijt, and by the Spirit: We are bis Workmanjhip, created in Chrijt Jejus to good Works, Eph. ii. IO. V. A Saint is born of God: And of Zion it jhall be faid, this and that Man was botn in her, Pfal. lxxxvii. 5· Minifrers are faid to travail, to bnng forth Children to Chrifr. VI. A Babe hath all the Parts VJ. A Babe in Chrift hath all the Effentials of and Lineaments of a Man, if it be a true Chriflian; he hath all the Parts and Lineaa perfect Birth. ments of a new Creature. There is a Formation, . or a gracious Work in every Faculty, a partaking of every Grace, though at firft forming not come to full Growth and Perfection. VII. A Babe, when born, is obVII. A Babe in Chrift, when fir!\ born again, or _fervecl tO come into the ·world fpirimally brought forth, cries to God, is much in crying. Prayer; God hath no Children that are born dumb. Behold he prayeth, A&ls ix. which was a clear De– monftration that he was born again, or a new Creature. Vlll. A Babe new-born defires VIII. A Babe in Chrift defires the fin cere Milk the Milk of its Mother's Breaft. of the Word, viz. the fweet, faving, and comfort– IX. Babes are harmlefs, free from Malice. X. A Babe, when fir!l: born, if not difeafed, is obferved to grow much in a little time; its Growth isrhen more vifible than afterwards. XI. A Babe needs mllCh tend1ng, mufl: be carefully looked after, or it may fuffer much. It is carried in the Arms, dandled upon the ."Knees, and laid in the Bofom, and hath many a Kifs from the Father and Mother. XIL Babes, after they are grown up, are taught to fpeak pl.•in, not ·to chatter and cry only, bl!t to talk and fpeak intelligibly, and alfo to go. XIII. Babes are weak in Know– ledge and UnderOanding: When I was a Child, I thought as a Child, I underj/ood as a Child, 1 Cor. xiii. From hence they many times are froward, peevi01, and foon take dif– tafl:e; fm1tlThings wJiloffend them. XIV A Babe, after it is gr•Jwn up, doth not expect that its Father 3 able Doctrine of the Gofpel. IX. Babes in Chrifl: are or fhould be harmlefs, .concerning Malice, as Children. X. A Babe in Chrift, or a tnle Chrifrian, when firfr converted, if not fpiritually difrempered, grows much. We read of fome of the Samts, who foon af– ter they received the Word of Truth, grew exceed– ingly, though afterwards .a Saint's Growth in Grace is not fo vifible. X I. Babes in Chrifl: need alfo much fpiritual Care, and looking af(er. Chrifr, as well as his Church and Mini(\ers, takes much care of them : He carrieth theft in his Arms, and layeth them in his Bofom, lfi•· xi. 1 o, 1 1. They have many a gra– cious Kils of Chrifr's Momh, or Promife of his Word, whereby he feals up his Love to them. XII. A Babe in Chrifr is taught by Chrifr alfo to pray, and fpeak in Prayer more plainly, or t<? exprefs itfelf, and make known its Wants more in– telligibly, aod alto how to go and walk in the Ways of God's Commandments: !taught Ephraim togo, taking him ~y the Hand, Hof xi. 3· XIII. ABabe in Chrifl is ufually weak in fpiri– tual Underfl:anding, or in the Myfreries of the Golpel. and from hence is very fubjeCl: alfo to be offended with this Thing, and that Thing, which frrong Chriilians can bear. Many of the young Difciples in the primitive Time, were offended at thofe that did eat Meat, &c. XIV. So Chrifrians, when they are grown to fomeDegree of Ripenefs in Underfl:anding, fhould not
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