Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

351 SER, III. A New Creature, vbat. New Creature. I know many doe many things, they come to Church, and give gales ; well faith the Apo - flie, Circumcifio» and uncircumcif on is all one ; fo fay I, Prayer and no Prayer is all one; doing jufily and un- juftly, is is all one, untill a man be a New Creature : Therefore, faiths. Paul, t Cor. 13.3. Though Igive all my goods to the poere (which is a glorious action; nay, though I could be content to be a Martyr) though I give my body to be burned, and haven't love, it profiteth nothing : So except you be New Creatures, your la- bour is loft, for Nature may doe much without the knowledge of the Gofpell. As the Earth brings forth graffe of it felfe, and forne flowers of the icwcfl fort, but to bring forth a crop,and flowers of the fineft fort, it muff be tilled, and there muff be feed- put in; Nature, I fay, may doe much, but this New Creature múfl come from an immortal! feed fowen in the heart, by God him felfe. Therefore looke whether thou haft that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the comfort we have, when the body is decayed and waxen old; yet let us not be difcouraged, though this outward man decay and perifh, thet.e is a new youth fpringing up. This is all the comfort we have, that when the old houfe is going downe, are have a new houfe Letting up in Read of it. Every man is glad to fee an old houfe pulled downe, and a new Letup in (lead of it; but to fee an (id houfe going downe, and no new one to be fet up, the ruine of it is a moflmiferable fpet` acic. Take a Husbandman, whobath taken great paines in plowing and towing his ground, when he fees his core it

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