Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

A N ew Creature, ?that. of the flefl., but of the wiüof G o D, if you bee New Creatures. Again, that is Nature, which is common to the whole Species, to the whole kinde; what is not natu- rall, one man hath, and another man wants, and this we finde in the New Creature, the whole kinde, that is, all the Saints that arc living in all places, they have the fame Nature in them, that is, they have the fame fpirit in them, though they be a thoufand miles afun- der, though they never faw one another, yet they may know one anothers mindes, forr one minde dwels in them ; when one minde dwels in divers, they be of the famedifpofition, fo this nature is common to them all. Again, what is Nature it cannot be altered againe, for that is the property ofNature, it ftill flicks by us, and will not be canged,but,as Ariftotle obferves ,thr ow a (tone up a thoufand times, iz will returne againe, be- caufe it is the nature of it to returne ; fo what is the na ture of a man, put him from it a :hundred times, and an hundred times againe over, yet he returnes to it a- gaine, becaufe it is naturall to him : So it is with this New Creature, when the heart is once framed aright, though the Saints are fometimes tranfported, though fometimes they are not like themfelves, though fome- times ftrong lufts leade them captives, yet they returne againe, though it were an hundred times done; for na ture will not be put off, you cannot lay halide againe. Latt.of all, Nature is a thing that cannot be taught, no more can this New Creature,no man can teach you to be New Creatures. Arts may be taught, and things not naturall may be taught, but this no man can teach you. We may thew what it is to be a New Creature, we 365_ Ss R.W. It is3com. mon to the whole kinde. It canot be altered. 5 It cannot be taught.

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