and still continue the same courses Repent and bring foorth fruits worthy Repentance Math. 3.8 QVEST. V. 5. Q. WHENCE commeth this â—hange A. Chiefly from the sight and feeling of Gods mercy towards vs in Christ Luk. 7.47 1 Ioh. 4.19 The heart may be pricked with Repentance by the Law as I said before but this will but make it bleed inward and rancle more and more this is a sorrow to death The heart neuer commeth kindly to be pricked so as to breake out into confession dislike and true griefe for sin as it is a thing offending God till the loue of God come in some measure to be tasted by it a Zach. 12.10 I will poure out my spirit of grace and deprecation and they shall mourne b Mat. 3.7 repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand We see some sturdy natures which with seuere hard courses are not stirred come ouer them with kindnes and they relent thus it is in the dissoluing of our hearts they neuer yeelde and relent till loue worke on them Looke as it is in the change of the earth all the stormie inclemencies of the Winter though they may cast it into diuers formes yet till the sun cause an influence of his sweete heat into the bosome of it it is neuer changed from vnfruitefull to fruitfull neither is the face of it till then renued So in our soules though the stormes of the Law may diuersly affect them yet till the beames of this grace shine into the heart they are neuer truely changed our hearts could not possibly reflect and rebound this loue to God for it is loue to greeue that wee haue offended him had not hee first caused his loue to shine vpon vs. As euer then thou wouldst repent Vse get a taste of Gods loue one haire of loue will draw more then a yoke of oxen the softest things will breake the hardest A sword which will be stricken vpon iron or steele safely may bee broke men say on a fetherbedde What is harder then a Diamond which abideth the hammer and is not hurt yet a goates bloud will dissolue it as vinegar doth pearle c. Looke to that bloud of Christ our Sauiour and he inable vs to see it that so our hard hearts may bee dissolued through the abundance of loue manifested in it What is so hard but fire casteth and melteth it what fire is so hotte as the loue wherewith God hath loued vs in Christ QVEST. VI. 6. Q. FRom what is the heart changed A. From loue of the world to the loue of God from carelesnesse to conscience and desire to please God Ioh. 21.15 Tit. 2.12 Phile. v. 11. 1 Ioh. 2.15 In euery mouing and alteration there are two points the one from whence the oother to which as in going any whither there is one place which I leaue and another that I go vnto Thus in Repentance the point from which we turne is the loue of the world and carelesnesse the point to which we are changed and conuerted is the loue of God and care to please him Obserue then first That by nature all of vs liue in adulterous loue of the world the persons things fashions in it Iam. 4.4 O yee adulterous saith Iames Looke as women from what time they fall away from loue of their Husbands grow into league with strangers so wee from what time we by sinne turne from the immortall God we turne to the corruptible creature louing them not in and for God louing them not in measure according to the goodnes that is in them but inordinately Some haue this adulterie in them more openly some more couertly For euen as there are some corporally vncleane not ashamed to walke with their Trulls in the sight of the Sunne so there are some Esau-like who will not sticke to say giue them the pottage of pleasure take who will the birthright thus in effect doe all prophane and ciuill persons who care not and will professe as much for matter of religion some haue this adulterous loue to the world but thinke no more of it then a 2 King 8 12.13 hee of Syria did thinke he had in him that cruelty which he after shewed For as men may haue a disease in body which they think themselues most free of so in soule also Such are all Christians who haue not receiued the sanctifying grace which maketh the heart good and honest Vse Wherefore let vs take knowledge of this our estate and bewaile this spirituall harlotry in our nature none is free from it who hath not lamented it in himselfe O for a man to breake his faith and liue vnchastly after hee hath giuen himselfe by couenant to a Creature like himselfe is a worse sinne then it was while he was single for now hee hath added breach of faith to vncleannesse O so to let our hearts be in the world after wee haue by our profession betroathed our selues to God it shall bee easier for Turkes then for vs for we breake our faith and leaue an all-sufficient God for transitorie trifles and pleasures of sinne which last but for a season Obserue secondly from hence That we are turned to the loue of God from the loue of this world that our growing out of loue with the world is our returning into loue with our Husband as the amitie of the world is enmitie with God so the enmitie with the world beginneth amitie with God Look as vncleane women the more they shake off their Paramours the more they returne to their conjugall dutie so it is with vs the truth is wee who by sinne haue turned from God to the inordinate loue of these things can neuer returne to God till these be left as hee who is come hither from any place hee can neuer returne to that againe till he hath left this in which hee now is But how can wee leaue God or returne to him who is euery where euen as two present together for place may leaue each other when in heart and affections they desioyne themselues though in place they are conioyned and as a man may be with light and yet turne from it by winking against it and so going out of that which shineth about him and returne to it by opening his eyes againe thus wee may go from God euery where present while wee turne our hearts and affections from him and shut the eyes of our mindes from beholding of him And wee turne to him when we open the eye of Faith and vnite our selues with his mercy and cleaue vnto him with the loue of our soules This then being our way of returning to our God let vs labour to roote out this stinking weed of inordinate loue to earthly things as euer we would assure our selues wee haue loue to God A chast wife will not content herselfe in the maine to be loyall but she will not giue light behauiour lauish fauours vnchast kisses to any person And shall not wee take
f Ioh. 14.30 not finde ought in him these the Gospell at large mentioneth Christ did not take what he liked and leaue at his pleasure but obeyed all the will of God For looke as it is in the body of man which is so compact and knit together that you cannot wound one part but the whole man is wounded so the righteousnes of the Law is so combined that he who breaketh one of them doth violate the whole frame and becommeth guilty of the whole Law g Iam. 2.10 as the Apostle Iames speaketh Yea further it is to be marked that he did not onely submit to the morall duties of Gods law which in innocencie should haue bin practised but to other also yea to ceremoniall obseruances to which man as now sinfull onely was obliged euen as he suffered the euills which did befall our natures now being sinfull themselues being such as had no sinne in them that looke what is recorded of the most generous Captaines viz. That they would worke with their common souldiers fellow and fellow like in the homeliest things they set their hands to that is apparant in our Chieftaine who doth like to one of vs sinfull men set himselfe to worke in obeying euery thing wherein we were to obey As when great Persons wil shew loue they lay aside state and forget circumstances of inequalitie toward those with whō they meane to be most affable and louing Secondly He did obey God with his whole man with his vnderstanding will affections as well as his outward man With what zeale of spirit did hee cast those Merchants out of the Temple Ioh. 2.17 For looke as a beautifull picture which hath no spirit nor life in it is but a shadow without the substance of that it resembleth so a doing the worke commanded in the Law with the outward man if the heart spirit bee not looking to God intending his honour reporting their loue and dutie to him it is but an outward forme of godlines and iustice wanting the life and inward power which God requireth he is a Spirit and his Law is spirituall giuen not as man 's to the outward man only but principally to the soule and conscience Thirdly Christs obedience was to the end For he gaue vp the ghost in loue to God and man greater then the iustice of the Law could require it is in obeying the Law as in running a race if one hold not out to the goale all is nothing the price is not receiued so should one walke a great while in the course of obedience but not perseuere vnto the end it were in vaine not such as the perfection of the law required Seeing then it is thus that Vse 1 Christ as the Law is a rule of righteousnesse hath performed it exactly yea gone in degree beyond all it could command for it doth bid vs onely loue our neighbour as our selues let vs see whither we must looke when we detest our owne imperfection euen to the righteousnes wherwith Christ obeyed in our behalfe Let vs renounce our owne righteousnes as a menstruous rag that wee may be found clothed with Christs that righteousnesse which is through faith on him For it was the will of Christ to performe not onely a bare satisfaction but also a most gratefull obedience that so he might both remoue from vs the filthy couering of our sinne and also cloth vs with a rich robe of vnspotted righteousnes Vse 2 This doth shew vs God the sonnes exceeding loue to vs if when we are absent one doth take our cause and doe ought for vs which we in our persons should haue performed wee count our selues much beholding to them especially if they doe it from their voluntary disposition vnspoken to by vs. Loe Christ our Sauiour hath put himselfe in our roomes and done all that worke for vs which wee in person should haue wrought that we might be declared righteous to the receiuing of eternall life QVEST. VI. 6. Q. WHat benefit haue wee by his death and sufferings Answ Deliuerance from sinne and the punishment thereof We haue deliuerance from sinne by all Christs sufferings after some sort but not alike principally by those before his death and those in which more properly his passion consisteth Those former sufferings as they taught Christ patience experimentally fitted him to bee a compassionate high Priest had in them example for our instruction so were they accessory ministring to that further more principall satisfactory suffering of his death and passion Looke as if an English-man were held prisoner in France who could not bee released but on such a ransome tendred and the good will of the Gouernours obtained say some of his Countreymen would worke his enlargement he doth addresse himselfe for France he liueth there submitting himselfe to the lawes of them amongst whom for the time hee abideth he beareth many grieuances in a country wherein he is not knowne hee moueth with humble petition the Gouernors and offereth satisfaction finally he doth pay that penaltie or price of redemption imposed in this example this man may be said to be set free by all this suffered for him but not equally by all principally by discharging the ransome imposed by the other as by sufferings accessory and ministring to some other more principall Thus Christ he tooke our nature came from heauen and dwelt amongst vs in that tabernacle of flesh hee yeelded himselfe subiect to our fashions and lawes as it were he did beare indignities and iniuries from the world who knew him not he at length tendred that satisfactory passion to God his Father for vs and preuailed with his grace for the bestowing of all good things on vs. The suffering then of death hath an eminencie aboue all other in the remouing of sin and punishment from vs. Looke as it was in the shadow the faithfull of the old Testament they did as in a Sacrament receiue deliuerance from their sinne by the death of their sinne-offering so is it here with vs. Christ becomming our sacrifice for sinnes taking them on him to beare them and doe them away in our behalfe his offering vp commeth to quit vs from the guilt of them No wonder for if a suretie discharge a debt in our behalfe we stand no longer bound to it thus our Sauiour in his death answering the vtmost farthing nay performing a suffering of infinit more dignity then vindicatiue iustice could haue required the grace of God doth set vs free most iustly hence Christ is said to haue cancelled Col. 2.14 whatsoeuer hand-writing was against vs whether that of the Ceremoniall law as it testified our guilt or that inward testification of our consciences For looke as they who haue now paid a debt in behalfe of any they call in all specialties witnessing the debt which now they haue answered and deface and cancell them that naught may euer bee claimed by them thus did our Sauiour so that in his death we may
couenanted thus it is Christ hauing done that righteousnesse performed that obedience on which God couenanted to giue vs life and all good things we vpon this performed for vs may claime from grace which promised it life euerlasting Obiect Obiect But how can one be iust by the righteousnes which is anothers more then wise with the wisedom another hath If a Blackmoore were clad in white would his apparell without him change his hew To driue out one wedge with another Answ how can wee be truely made sinnefull in Adams sinne Secondly I say this righteousnesse is not to be accounted as a forraine thing altogether without vs as the clothes are to the body but it is the righteousnesse of the head of vs with whom wee haue most neere coniunction May not the whole body bee lightsome with that light which is in the eye and head only not in the body Christ saith it may Mat. 6.22 so may we with that righteousnesse which is in Christ our head True they will say if wee were naturally one As if our spirituall coniunction were inferiour to the other Againe as we may be made one with Christ we may be righteous with his righteousnesse the manner of communion may be extended as farre as the vnion but though not naturally yet in fictione iuris as they speake in account of the Law we may be one truely with Christ as man and wife aâ—â— one person in law therefore legally or in estimation of the law wee may be one with Christ and by consequent in Gods account iudging in that Court of Chancerie as it were wee may be iust with Christs iustice which is as much as we vrge Let vs then array our selues Vse with the obedience of Christ and looke vp boldly to God cloathed in it this is no scant short garment but a large robe big enough for vs all as the light of one sinne is enough for another world to see by could they be created and set before it as one voice serueth euery eare within the hearing so this righteousnesse will bee enough to all the multitude of vs who shall beleeue on it QVEST. VIII 8. Q. HOw shall a man finde helpe A. Onely by a true faith on him Two things are here to be marked 1. That wee are saued by faith which is described from the propertie of true faith and person about whom it is occupied viZ. Christ on him but of these hereafter in the next answers 2. Marke that by faith only we obtaine saluation The Scripture teacheth euery where that through faith on Christ we get both forgiuenesse of sinne and life euerlasting a Act. 16.30.31 What shall wee do that we may be saued This answereth the question beleeue The reason is wee cannot haue any benefit by Christ till he be vnited with vs now he commeth to be vnited with vs by beliefe To open these two things which vnfold and proue the point of Catechisme in â—and meate though it haue a force to nourish Medicine though it bee able to heale rayment though it can both adorne and defend the body against the iniurie of aire wealth though it can make rich yet meat cannot refresh me till I eate it and after a sort incorporate it with mee no salue will heale me till I lay it on my soare no apparrell will stand me in steede further then I put it on no treasure no not all the gold in India can make me rich further then I get my selfe possessed of it Thus it is in Christ the bread of life the medicine wedding garment the pearle of the Gospell we cannot haue benefit of him further then we get to bee vnited with him Now there are three bonds in the body mystical whereof Christ is the head and we members The first is from Christ to vs that is the bond of his Spirit The second runneth from vs to Christ and that is our faith primarily and consequently our whole heart and other affections The third bond runneth from each member to other that is Loue. Obiect Obiect But are wee not knit to God and Christ by loue Answ Answ Not first of all by loue neither to God nor Christ Wee cannot loue God or Christ further then we see that they are good vnto vs our loue presupposeth apprehension of Gods loue wee cannot see that God is good to vs further then by beleeuing the word of promise in which he offereth grace to vs. A Traytor condemned cannot in this estate cleaue to the King by loue as a mercifull Sauiour of him but first he must know and bee perswaded that the King will shew him grace before hee can vnite himselfe with the King by loue as one whom he hath found alway good and gracious vnto him Againe if you offer mee and by promise assure me of any kindnesse I must first know what you say to mee and perswade my selfe you meane as you speake before I can loue you as my kinde friend thus before wee can loue God as gracious to vs who are by nature children of his wrath wee must by faith apprehend his loue toward vs and before we can loue Christ we must by faith vnite our selues with that grace of his which he maketh knowne in the word Looke then as our bodily members by nerues and snewes are knit with the head so our faith is that prime and principall ligature by which we are coupled to Christ And therefore it is that first thing whereby wee come to haue benefit by Christ and fellowshippe in that iustification and life which come through him wherefore let vs labour by faith to get our selues made one with Christ If a thing bee neuer so good what is that to vs till we get some of it we are not the nearer so though Christ be of neuer such value if wee let him hang in the aire prouide not that he dwell in our hearts by faith we shall be no whit the better for him 2. Marke in this answer that it is onely Faith whereby wee obtaine righteousnesse vnto saluation For this grace maketh only that first apprehension of CHRIST through whom apprehended we are iustified and saued Though a man hath many members in his body yet hee hath but one by which hee vseth to receiue any thing viz. the hand and so though our soules haue many graces bestowed on them yet haue they but one hand of Faith wherewith to receiue Christ and his benefits vnto saluation But when we say that only Faith doth saue vs we meane not that faith which is alone without all other graces of loue doth saue vs but that faith though it hath the company of other vertues yet it alone worketh in laying hold on Christ to forgiuenesse of sinne and life eternall euen as when wee say the eye alone seeth wee doe not meane that the eye is alone in the head without the company of other senses but that the eye though ioyned with hearing smelling c. yet it
doth worke without it selfe in the whole man in whom it is as fire hath an inward effect which within it selfe it exerciseth as burning It hath effects externe without it selfe in other things it doth harden clay soften waxe and drie things moist Thus our faith it doth incite the soule to rest on God to seeke increase of faith to resist vnbeleefe euen as it hath confidence in it these essentially flow from it as burning is an effect which proceedeth euen from the essence of fire which is an Element hauing heat in it but this effect the Catechisme here chuseth not as being lesse perspicuous though all true Beleeuers finde it by good experience There are then other more externe effects which faith doth worke out of it selfe in all true Beleeuers First it doth worke repentance for the nature of faith being to apprehend the loue of God this once felt of the heart maketh it grieue that it hath sinned against so louing a God Hauing stirred vp repentant sorrow it doth a Act. 15.9 purifie the heart for looke as a wilde griffe ingraffed in a kindly stocke commeth to haue the nature changed so faith setting vs into Christ though by nature wee are wilde Oliue branches yet we by grace of Christ come to be altered It gouerneth the whole man making vs doe the things in obedience which God hath commaunded making vs waite on God in aduersitie b Esa 28.16 without making hast as the bodily foote stirreth not but with direction of the eye so no grace moueth but this eye of faith hath some precedencie in guiding of it indeede as from a roote the body branches and fruite in the tree doe proceed so from faith as a roote all the sanctifying graces of the spirit and all the fruits of the spirit which grow out of them do proceede Finally it causeth peace and quieteth the heart for it bringeth the soule an acquittance and Quietus est from all the sinnes thereof and ioy likewise c 1 Pet. 1.8 vnspeakeable and glorious for it doth see it selfe to finde in Christ infinite treasure Look then as a good tree is known if it haue on it good fruite so is faith if it be accompanied with these fruites but chiefely if it haue growing out of it the fruite of repentance Thus then we see how we may try and proue our faith Vse O we are carefull if we take an Angell we will rubbe it ring it send and weigh it we would not be deceiued any way in it not so much as to haue it washed or clipped The Lord make vs as circumspect in this matter where our danger is greater by how much the thing it selfe is more precious QVEST. III. 3. Q. HOw doth that appeare A. Because wheresoeuer Gods Spirit worketh true faith there hee worketh repentance also Luk. 19.8.9 Acts 15.9 These two are coupled together d Mar. 1.15 Repent and Beleeue the Gospell yea the one of them is the cause of the other Now where I see the one of things necessarily combined there I know the other is also as in a liuing body it hath necessarily conioyned with it a liuing soule where then I see the one viz. any body aliue there I know is the other Smoake can neither be raised nor continued without some fire where then I see smoake there I know fire is also though it is not alwaies conspicuous thus it is in repentance which is the smoake of a beleeuing soule in which faith is not yet come to blaze forth in Christian reioycing But it is a great question Obiect whether of these is former for the Scripture setteth Repentance before Faith and maketh it to go before remission of sinne Act. 5.31 Christ is the Lord and King to giue Repentance and remission of sinne to his Israel Now what euer is in nature before remission of sinne is before Faith also for faith and pardon are so immediately linked together that what is before the one is before the other also Answ For answere whereto we must know that there is a legall Repentance to which men may bee exhorted which is a worke of the Spirit of bondage and this doth go before faith For euen as a sience must bee broken off and cut off from the old stocke before it can bee ingraffed in a new so must a Sinner be cut off from the old Adam by this worke of the Law before hee can be by faith set into Christ the second Adam This Repentance Austin compared to the needle which made way for the threed of the Gospell for the word of Faith to come in after it this doth plow vp the heart before the seede of faith can bee fitly sowne in it If then wee vnderstand Repent and Beleeue of this repentance we yeeld it precedencie There is also a Repentance which is a griefe for sinne offending God rising from the loue of God and this it is likely to be that Repentance which the Gospell calleth for but it doth set it first because it is more manifest then the other not because it is in nature before the other There is an order of generation there is also an order of manifestation in which things are made manifest Rom. 10 9. If one confesse with his mouth and beleeue with his heart Confession last in order of nature is put before the other for because we haue the Spirit of faith therefore wee speake and confesse as Paul saith 2 Cor. 4.13 Quest Quest But why is Repentance required to the forgiunesse of sinne Answ Answ It is required not so much to the being of it as the manifest declaration of it in my conscience Things are said to bee when now they are manifestly declared thus remission of sinne which is the vvombe as it vvere of faith is manifestly novv brought to light vpon repentance and therefore it is said repent and so euen in thy ovvne experience manifest the remission of thy sinnes The summe is that faith is alvvay in nature before Repentance though we long trauerse the exercise of a broken spirit before wee can feele our selues perswaded that our sinnes are pardoned that as wee see the lightning first before wee heare the cracke and wee see the blossome first before we see the bud though in order of nature these last are first so wee see our selues to be in sorrow before wee can feele our selues to haue faith and to haue receiued forgiuenes though these in nature were before which may bee thus cleered None can greeue at sinne as it is offensiue to his God till he loue his God none can loue God till hee haue apprehended Gods loue to him no man can apprehend God as reconciled and louing to him till hee hath faith therefore none can greeue for sinne as it is offensiue to God till he first hath faith Vse Let vs then hence learne to assure our consciences that they haue truely beleeued haue they sorrowed with godly sorrow for sin and shall wee
vp our hearts for halting for so much intemperate concupiscence as still dwelleth in them to things earthly if thou dost but cry out against this thou shalt haue an euidence of thy chast loue to God a Deut. 22.26.27 as the Virgin that cried out while villany was offered her she was indeed innocent for she cried out Obserue thirdly That all men before conuersion are carelesse of God b Rom. 3.11 None vnderstandeth none seeketh after him proportionally as we loue any thing wee minde it and are carefull about it Now by nature hauing in vs no true loue to God how can wee be carefull of him Looke as in the 2. of the Prouerbs c Pro. 2.17 the adulterous woman is saide to forsake the guide of her youth that is her heart did not cleaue vnto him so as to be carefull of dutie toward him So all spirituall adulteresses cast quite away all rememberance and care of God For alasse what would this doe but breed a regret in their consciences and make them they could not follow their disloyall courses so delightfully Looke at the liues of men euery thing is cared for but God and heauenly things are quite as out of sight out of minde also Nay some they euen striue to put these matters out of thought it is but a fit of Melancholy to looke this way We are like the Deputie d Act. 18.14.15 Gallio had it beene a point of Iustice hee would haue medled but for questions of Gods law hee cared not it is said for those things To branch forth this carelesnesse 1. Men before conuersion care not for sin whereby they offend God b Ier. 8.6 none saith what haue I done they no more sticke vpon sinne then an adulteresse on her vncleane dalliance 2. They care not to vse any meanes to be reconciled to God Nay the further they can keep them off him it is better with them hence it is that they affect ignorance and hardnes of heart 3. They are not for any course which God doth vse toward them to reclaime them bee it by words or blowes it being with them as with Salomons foole with c Pro 17.10 and 27.22 whom nothing entreth whether one smite or vse indignation neither piping nor lamenting will preuaile And as the Drunkard in the d Pro. 23.35 Prouerbs doth not heede his knockes to take admonition by them no more do these 4. What dishonor will be done to God they are carelesse of it We passe not how they be vsed whose persons we loue not O this carelesse estate of God it is the height of wickednes the Lord keep it farre from vs but as men asleep dreame of many vaine matters but take no thought of more serious and substantiall businesses so men asleep in state of sin their thought and fancie is running about vaine transitorie things but they take no care of matters of God which concerne their peace Lastly marke a conuerted man is made carefull and conscionable to please God e 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore wee dwell at home or go from home wee studie to please him Col. 1.10 grow vp to please GOD in all things that looke as Courtiers they affect to please their Soueraignes and will not stirre in word or deede further then they see will bee well taken they are men that dwell at Placenza as the Italian saith thus Gods children in all they doe labour to be pleasing in his sight Care commeth from loue and feare Now Gods children conuerted haue both the loue of God and the feare of him so that they cannot bee but carefull to please him Vse Wherefore let vs like good seruants who will learne to know the length of their Masters feete let vs I say learne to know the will of God and to performe it acceptably through his Christ when GOD hath receiued vs of adulteresses to grace and fauour how should it pricke vs forward to care and diligence in dutie while wee thinke how long we walked vndutifully toward him QVEST. VII 7. Q. WHat is this change called A. It is called in the Scriptures a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 6.15 You must obserue hee asketh here of Repentance as it is a change accompanied with sanctification of heart and reformation of life not as the change of Repentance is precisely and rigorously distinguished from sanctification and reformation Now Repentance thus taken is called a new Creature For opening whereof we must not thinke that a man is for substance made new but onely in quality and fashion as when we turquesse an old garment making it vp againe wee say it is a new garment that is made vp in new fashion though it bee the old stuffe it was so it is with our making new in Christ Looke as the aire in substance is all one in the night season which it is in the morning but in the night it was all darkened and obscure in the morning it is all inlightened so it is with vs the same wee are for substance in the state of sinne and in Christ but in state of sinne we are all darkenesse of ignorance and lust in state of grace we are all light in the Lord a Eph. 5.8 as Paul speaketh but more fully to vnderstand it 4. things shall be briefly opened 1. How this new Creature is begotten 2. In what it standeth 3. In what order it is brought foorth 4. The workes whereby it is discerned 1. In generation of children there are Parents and a seede of each Parent and a force making the seed fruitfull This new babe hath a father and mother God and his Church a seede whereof it is begotten a seede inward from God that reuelation and inspiration which within the soule he causeth outward from the mother that externall propounding of the word of God Finally here is likewise that vertue of Gods Spirit working through this seede a new Creature in vs. If men by reading precepts of Grammer and Logicke can beget of ignorant persons Grammarians and Logitians is it any wonder if God by his most holy word beget of vs by nature sinnefull and prophane holy righteous persons though wee must not thus conceiue as if there were not a higher thing in Gods begetting then the other 2. This new Creature standeth in a diuine nature as a 2 Pet. 1.4 Peter calleth it which God by his inward worke doth create in vs not drawing that foorth which in vertue of power was before in vs as men of Arte onely doe when they make an ignorant Scholler become an Artist with them but causing these things to exist whereof we haue not a seed or sparke left in vs by nature the diuine quality changing soule and body is this new creation in vs viz. light and wisedome in the minde which doth purge it from ignorance error vnbeleefe vanitie c. loue in the will which doth purge it from rebellion against Gods law and inclination to euill The