body by the Spirit we shall live thus againe Gal. 5.17 the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the Flesh these are contrary one to another that is the unregeneracie that is in man strives against the regeneracy that is in him and these are so contrary one to another even as fire and water that ye cannot do what ye would St. Paul found this by experience you have heard that hee perceived a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind and when he would haved one good yet evill was present with him Rom. 7.21 and Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my Flesh in me by nature in me in as much as such unregenerate there dwells no good thing In quantum renati for as much or in as much as we are regenerate so farre forth we both will and do that which is good but the defect in either is from the imperfection of regeneracie or that unregenerate part that is in us throughout the whole man in the understanding will and affections and in all parts of our bodies and that which is born of the flesh in this sense is flesh also for we must know that our children are ours naturali propagatione not spirituali regeneratione by naturall propagation not by spirituall regeneration wee beget them as we are naturall not as we are spirituall we can convey unto them all that Adam by guilt and generation conveighed unto us but what spirituall grace God conveighed unto Adam that was not in his power to convey unto us it was Gods free gift to his person not intayled upon his posterity and lineally to descend upon them as was his nature no more is grace then to any of us or to the most holy men in the world they can but convey what they have by nature grace is Gods free guift not any essentiall part of mans nature and that is the reason why many good men have oftentimes had bad children as Abraham had an Ismael Isaac an Esau David an Absolam c. because they were there by nature not by grace And before God bestowed grace upon their fathers they were wicked and walked and swayed by sinne as well as others and as they though it may be in a more remisse manner St. Aug. observes of the Jewes that though they were themselves circumcised yet they begot children uncircumcised because themselves were such by nature even as the corn which if you winnow it never so clean in fanning away the chaffe yet if you sow it it will grow with chasse on again as much as ever it had before because it was naturally so it was but by art even thus conceive of the Text that whether a man be in the flesh as to tally unregenerate uncircumcised unfanned or of regeneration yet that part of unregeneracie was naturall to him and according to that estate he begets his children even as the circumcised Jewes begot uncircumcifed children as well as did the uncircumcised amongst the Gentiles because uncircumcision was in both naturall even so regenerate men beget unregenerate children as well as unregenerate men do because unregeneracie whether in part or in whole is naturall in both and may bee called flesh in both and in either of these accoptions flesâ— quod natum est ex carne caro est that which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh and thus by this time I hope you may perceive that the vaile is taken from the sence of the Text. Whence we may observe that our Parents which begot us can convey no spirituall abilities for regeneration conversion or salvation of us unto us that we have heard is beyond the power of nature and by increasing and multiplying they can conveigh no more to us but that for if they could we should stand in lesse need to be born againe in which second birth we have our abilities from God Phil. 2.13 It s God that works in you both the will and the deed of his good pleasure your Parents can neither give you wills nor good works for the power of these come ab extra from without above the compasse of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceives not the things of the Spirit of God the naturall man that is he that hath no more abilities then meer nature can afford him such as he drew from the loynes of his Father for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned as if he should have said a more naturall man wants the meanes and the light of knowing of them nature can afford him no such thing Eph. 2.3 we are by nature saith Paul the children of wrath as well as others thus we have the Doctrine illustrated This may first teach us that as wee must have a second birth as well as a first as we have heard that for this second birth we must rely upon the Lord for ability we must look higher than our Parents not they nor the Angels of God nor any creature can be the Author of the grace of regeneration or conversion onely God must do that Acts 11.14 though Peter by his preaching was an instrument of conversion to those Gentiles that heard him He shall speak words unto thee whereby both you and all thy house shall be saved yet God was the Author of that grace they then received v. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life And Lam. 5.21 Turne us unto thee and we shall bee turned 2 Tim. 2.25 proving if God at any time will give repentance that they may know the truth 2. If whatsoever be born of the flesh be flesh this may let us see what free will we have to any spirituall good by nature or what grace to salvation by nature from it we can receive nothing but nature Mat. 7.19 do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of Thistles No we know that Thorns naturally bring out no such things as Grapes nor Thistles Figs even no more can we looke that corrupt nature should bring forth spirituals no but like its selfe flesh quod natum est excarne caro est that which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh It followes and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit In the former verse the words runne thus except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit In these no mention made of Water or being born of Water because that without the concomitance of this the other cannot do it but whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit because the efficiencie of the birth proceeds from that though Water be the outward visible signe which it pleased God to use in working you have heard that a man may be born again of the Spirit and yet want water but none can bee borne again of Water onely if the Spirit be wanting therefore the birth of the Spirit is here mentioned that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit The Spirit in Scripture is sometimes put for the soule of a man but here the Spirit is not opposed to the Flesh or body as Heb. 12.9 where mention is made of the Father of our bodies and how we gave them reverence much more should wee bee subject to the Father of Spirits Prov. 18.19 a wounded Spirit who can beare and Eccles 3.21 Who knowes the Spirit of a man that goeth upward but that cannot be meant here 2. The Spirit is sometimes taken for the Divell the evill Spirit Mark 9.26 then the Spirit cryed and rent him sore but neither can that be meant here 3. That Spirit is put for the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God and that is meant in this place as may appeare by the vers going before except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit and Ephes 5.18 be not drunke with Wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit the Spirit of God where it is in any speciall operation is accompanied with the graces of it which are also called the Spirit and where the graces of God are the essence of the Spirit is there also to cherish and inrich those graces as Gal. 3.2 received yee the Spirit by the works of the Law c. and whosoever is born of the Spirit is said to be born of God as you have heard 1 John 5.1 that is he is regenerate and born againe by the vertue and power of the Spirit upon his heart minde and soule and so far forth as he is regenerate pure gratious and spiritually good so farre forth is be born of the Spirit for 〈◊〉 â—â—at good Spirit there can be no bad effects but whatsoever is born of it is of a spirituall and holy nature that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit see what the Lord saith Ezek. 36.25 26. speaking of the return of his people out of Captivity and out of the Countries into which he had scattered them then saith he will I power clean Water upon you and yee shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you this cleane Water is expounded in the next words after a new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will give you an heart of Flesh that is I will take away your hard and unregenerate heart from you that nothing could work on and I will give you ◠〈◊〉 eart softened with the oyle of the graces of my Spirit and by the 〈…〉 wash away your filthinesse Luke 11.3 If ye which are evill can give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heaâ—â—â—ly Father give the Holy Ghost unto them that desire him And so make you truly spirituall being born of this Spirit Quod natum est ex spirituâ—… spiritus est that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit FINIS
a wonder to hear what hours ambitious men take up in wearying of mens ears with relating from how many great personages they are descended to how many such like they are of kindred to how many allyed c. what famous acts these and these have done it may be so their times afforded them honour for it and their posterity others esteeme for their sake but in the meane time what have themselves done Their Ancestors I feare dyed without Executors of any of their Heroick Acts the most that any of them have done is to talk of them in a Tavern to swear big at an Ordinary to fight with sheild of Brawne to flash shoulders of Mutton and use the case shot of Olives and Capers to march under the colours of Sacke and Claret and to give fire upon their friends in a Tobacco pipe egregias sane laudes spolia amplarefertis Surely noble atchievements and high estimates to men of such Memorials let them know that God requires another kind of noblenesse another kind of action to bring them to Heaven not the first birth will do this but being born again Nisi quis natus fueritdenua except a man be born again I come now to the manner of it it must be of Water and the Spirit except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit Learned Interpreters are somewhat troubled about these words especially about the word Water all agree in this that we must be born again onely de modo de medio or de necessitate medij is the question about the manner of our being born again or the medium of it or the necessity of the medium Some understand the word Water figuratively for the grace of Gods Spirit and it cannot be denyed but that in Scripture it may sometimes so signifie as Iohn 4.10 He would have given the water of Life and John 7.38 Rivers of water of Life Yea but the word Life is added to it which more explicates it as it is not in this place Well but John 4.14 it 's not added there Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst againe Yea but this is added the water that I shall give him and that is spirituall water Esa 44.3 is most like to favour this exposition I will power water upon the thirsty there is no addition to Water and floods upon the dry ground in that place no doubt but Water may be taken for the spirituall Water of Gods grace And some would illustrate this Exposition of the Text by Mat. 3.11 He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire whereby Fire is meant the zealous and fervent grace of Gods Spirit and is exegeticall or expositorie of the former word Yea but against this illustration it is excepted that when a word is exegeticall it must follow the word it expounds not go before it as it doth here not Water and the Holy Ghost but the Holy Ghost and Water 2. That it ought to be more plaine then that it expounds and not more dark as here I answer some reason and truth must be admitted in this exception I conceive that it holds cata polu but not cata panto's it holds true very often but not alwayes without any exception and in all places for sometimes one and the same thing one and the same truth may bee expressed in divers manner of speaking metaphoricall and literall and yet the sense aequipollente and all one and sometimes the latter more dark than the former Thus Lamen 3.19 Remembring mine affliction and my mourning the Wormwood and the Gall. Here the manner of speaking is divers the one sentence literall the other metaphoricall literall my affliction and my mourning metaphoricall the wormewood and the gall yet the sense aequipollent they come to one and the same sense yet the latter is more obscure then the former 2. Take the place of Esaiah before quoted Es 44.3 I le powre water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground then it follows I le powre my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thy Buds Here againe the manner of speaking is divers metaphoricall and literall in the words Spirit and Blessing yet the sense is aequipollent one and the same thing is meant by both so they think that the like may in this Text Water and the Spirit though the former be taken metaphorically the latter literally yet the sense aequipollent of the Spirituall graces of God and the Spirit present in those graces This I have said to shew the reasonablenesse of the Exposition of the Text in this sense and I know that divers modern Divines so take it But now for the second opinion to understand the Water literally and so of the Water of Baptisme I conceive a difference betweene this speech Water the Spirit and this Water and the Spirit the former may note out one and the same thing the latter two distinct things In the former instance where the words are expositorie or meant of one and the same thing they are spoken without any conjunction between them The words run not thus The affliction and the mourning And the wormwood and the gall but thus the affliction and the mourning the wormwood and the gall without any And between them and the like we may observe in the latter Esa 44.3 Rivers and floods my Spirit and my Blessing Not thus Rivers and Floods And my Spirit and my Blessing for that might have argued them to have been two distinct things For further explication or illustration thus Socrates Philosophus And Socrates Philosophus may admit of divers meanings For Socrates Philosophus by apposition may be meant of one and the same man being a Philosopher But Socrates Philosophus Socrates a Philosopher may be meant of him and of some man else that were a Philosopher So Water the Spirit may be meant of one and the same thing but Water And the Spirit may be meant of different things And so Christ speakes here except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit of Water as the outward element or medium of the Spirit or of the operatings and inward graces of God And this sense the most of the Ancients give of it and take the word Water literally here for the Water in Baptisme And indeed this sense will agree with the like expresses of the Spirit of God in Scriptures Act. 8.36 Here is the water saith the Eunuch what doth let me to be baptized v. 37. more then water is required of those that are of ripe yeers and that is actuall Faith If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou mayest the Eunuch answered Philip I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God upon this he was baptized And Ephes 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse by the washing of Water through the Word through his powerfull promise made in the Word to do so This was required in Nicodemus as well as the
or else answers sharply so that they had no great mind to meddle with him Mat. 22.18 Why tempt ye meye Hypocrites and if he spoke what they understood not they were too proud to be instructed in the meaning Nicodemus was not so John 2.19 when he bid them destroy the Temple and that in three dayes he would build it up againe in the next verse they reply frowardly 46. years was this Temple in building c. Thus he spoke of the Temple of his body but they understood not nor desired And John 8.21 when he had said Whither I goe ye cannot come In the next verse they reply what will he kill himselfe because he saith whither I go ye cannot come c. thus when the speeches were dark they never desired to know the meaning of them of Christ as Nicodemus did for when Christ had told him of being born againe and he knew not the meaning of it yet he behaves not himselfe like them nor was to proud to learn but never lets Christ rest untill he knew the meaning of it and our Saviour seeing him bent to learn was as willing to teach him as here in the Text Verily verily I say unto thee that except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God c. In the words of the Text we have these five particulars 1. A vehement asseveration Amen amen dico tibi Verily verily I say unto thee 2. A change of Lifes specification except a man be born again 3. The manner of it of Water and the Spirit 4. The necessity of it he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God 5. Lastly the reason of it in the latter verse that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit In order and first of the vehement asseveration Iesus answered verily verily I say unto thee Jesus answered that was more you have heard than he would do to many of his fellow Rulers 2. He answered him courteously and that was more than he would do to any of them when he did answer 3. He answers earnestly and with a vehement asseveration as arguing that he desired to have him understand the Truth for you shall never finde our Saviour using this asseveration but upon weighty businesse and in the Gospell of Saint John more usually than any where else Here it s doubled verily verily I say unto thee Amen Amen The word Amen is in all the Cardinall Languages its Amen in the Hebrew Amen in the Greek and Amen in the Latine and we so continue it in the English in many places the reason is this The Septuagint who first translated the Hebrew Text into Greek they left is untranslated The Latine Interpreters finding it so left of them they left it so to Our English Translators finding it so left of the Latine they left it in most places so too Thus again v. 11. verily verily I say unto thee we speak what we know and thou mayest beleeve what I say unto thee I speake authoritative by that authority which I have received from the Father and therefore Mat. 7. two last verses it 's said That when Christ had ended his word the people were astonished at his Doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes the majesty and power of Gods Spirit appeared in his speeches they felt the dint of them upon their Consciences and were not able to withstand the power of the Spirit by which he spoke John 7. from 45. forward Then came the Officers of the High Priests and Pharisees and they say unto them why have ye not brought him the Officers answered never manspoke like this man How happy was Nicodemus then to have this man speaking unto him but the Pharisees said are ye also deceived q.d. we took you to have bin faithfull and firme Officers to us to have executed our pleasure upon this deceiver Nunquid et vos seducti estis and are ye also deceived Doth any of the Rulers of the Pharisees beleeve in him yea Iohn 12.42 many of them but durst not professe him for fear of you it was more than they knew and here Nicodemus one of them Beleeves in him yet durst not let them know as much q.d. If he had been a true Prophet and if his Doctrine had bin from Heaven doe not you think that many so wise and so learned men and so religious men would not have received him and it No for Christ and his Doctrine were received of more poor men then rich Rulers and great Potentates of the World Mat. 11.5 The poor receive the Gospel Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore rich in Faith 1 Cor. 1.26 Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called And Jer. 5.45 as though the poor did not receive correction nor turn unto God when they were smitten yet the Prophet thought that the great men and Rulers understood more had bin better educated could conceive better of Gods Truth I said of the other that they were poor and foolish and undestood not Gods way but he supposed that the great men knew the judgments of their God but they proved the worse for they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds It was therefore an ill Argument mone of the Rulers nor Pharisees beleeved on him ergo others might not lawfully do it or his Doctrine was not of God As for this people that know not the Law that know not the meaning nor interpretation of it as we do they are accursed Thus basely and contemptibly they spoke of those that beleeved on Christ these you see are but a poor base and abject people come of no great stock nor bred in any famous Schools of the Pharisees what great matter is it what they do thus they vent their pride and labour to block up the passage of Christianity well but Mat. 11.25 these things were hid from the wise and men of understanding God opened them unto Babes And if the people knew not the Law the more shame for themselves that should have taught them Again if the people did but follow him that did not know the Law it seems that it was but of ignorance that the people did sinne if they had offended in following Christ But many of themselves sinned of knowledge and set malice therefore by consequence they will excuse the People and accuse themselves But it may be objected Mat. 5.37 that our Saviour taught That our communication should be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever was more came of evill And Jam. 5.12 let your yea be yea and nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation but our Saviour seems to use more here for he doth not simply affirme but with a double asseveration verily verily I say unto thee I answer the meaning of the words is that we should simply
sincerely and truly affirm what we affirm without dissembling oaths vows or the like in our ordinary talk And secondly I answer that this asseveration was but a more graduall Yea and vehement than ordinary or a more intensive Yea And thirdly this were upon a weighty point otherwise Christ did not use it and so in him it was no offence he did not sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 Blasphemy therefore was that of the Pharisees who said that they knew that this man was a sinner Iohn 9.24 Then Jesus answered and said verily verily I say unto thee I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 and no man comes unto the Father but by me I am the Way without wandring the Truth without errour the Life without death yea I am the Resurrection and the Life if any man beleeve in me though he were dead yet should be live John 11.25 I that am the good Shepheard that lay down my life for my sheepe I say unto thee therefore mark what I say 1. Unto thee blind Pharisee that had too much conceit of the knowledge of the Law or else thou might have had more knowledge of the Gospel 2. A man ignorant of a main necessary Truth namely of the new Birth of regeneration and continuing without this might have dyed and bin damned in Hell-Fire 3. Unto thee halting between two opinions between Moses and the Messias whether thou shouldest imbrace wheras if thou had beleeved Moses thou had beleeved me for he writ of me yet 4. unto ye because though weak yet mindfull to be made stronger therefore I will not despise thee nor loath the tediousnesse of teaching of thee for thus it was prophesied of me Esa 42.3 a bruised reed shal be not breake nor smoaking Flax shall he quench such art thou and I will fulfill the Prophesie 5. Lastly I say unto thee though thou came unto me by night when I should have reposed my self and have taken rest an unseasonable time yet I upbraided thee not nor stood upon it with thee nor reproved thee for incivility but seeing thou was so fearfull and weak thou durst not come by day I 'le receive thee kindly take pains with thee and teach thee by night this for the first part The second followes the change of life specified Except a man be born again this again notes once being born before so that hence it appears that there is a double Birth as in Scripture we reade of a double death the first and the second Death The first is nothing but separation of soul from body the second is a separation both of body and soule from God eternally Revel 2.11 He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death and what this second is you may further see Rev. 21.8 In the Scriptures we also read of a double Resurrection 1. and 2. Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection of such the second death hath no power The first Resurrection I conceive as do many others to be the resurrection from the dead estate of sinne to newnesse of life so that the first Resurrection is the second Birth Ephes 2.1 there is a spirituall Death and from that a spirituall Resurrection And you hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins and this quickning was in Christ v. 5.1 Pet. 1.23 being born a nâ—w not of mortal Seed for so is our Naturall Birth So is our first Birth but of immortall by the Word of God who liveth and endureth for ever there is our second Birth far more noble than our first Luke 8.11 the Seed is the Word of God In this Birth they have power to be the Sons of God John 1.12 and they are said to be borne of God 1 Io. 5.1 because they are born anew by the working of Gods holy Spirit in them this is the change of life being born thus again except a man be borne againe 1. This being born again is that which few men eye but at being borne Claro de Stemmale of some noble race oâ— bâ—oud that pustes us up as if we were more than men I remember I have somtimes read a passage between an upstart Gentleman and a faccâ—tious Herald the Herald perswaded this Gentleman of the first Head that he was able to derive his Pedigree lineally from Adam This parchment Gentleman was very importunate to have it effected but upon second thoughts the Herald told him he had better remain as he was because the nearer quoth he that we come unto Adam such poor men as I shall be found of kinne to you Truly spoken all mankind rich and poore are made of the same Elements 2. All of them have soules given them of God that are immortall 3. All are born naked there is no King that hath any other Birth 4 All are equally subject to death the Poet truly observed as much when he said aequopede puisat mors pauperum tabernas regumque turres 5. All are equally subject to be turned again into dust and to be dissolved into their first principles and what better dust do the rich make then the poore The Scriptures tells us that God made of one blood all Nations under Heaven Diogenes therefore to quell the pride of A exander whâ— bore himself so much by his discent when he heard that be was to march that way got him into the place wherein his father Philip had bin buried and busied himself in tumbling over dead mens bones with the end of his staffe whom when Alexander saw he must needes know the reason of his imployment I said Diogenes am here seeking the bones of Philip thy Father but they are so like to poor mens that I cannot know them This might give Alexander an hint what his pride would come to after his death Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return belongs to all men alike though in civill respects God makes a difference as by qualification of mind or exaltation to office or by the meritorious managing of some humane affairs c. and herein honour to whom honour belongs Yet alas small advantage will this be to them in any spirituall respect or in matter of salvation for in this sense God is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 Therefore though they may own the former birth yet let them labour for the second and take more delight in it and bee more thankfull to God for their personall worth than for their lineall the former may be advantagious for the next world but the latter only for this Nam genus proavos quae non fecimus ipsi vix eanostra voco as the Poet That which our kindred and fore-fathers have done in which we have had no hand we can scarcely own for ours So that as Christ said of food I say of bloud labour not for the food that perisheth so labour not for the bloud that perisheth It 's
Eunuch He was to be born again of Water and the Holy Ghost Titus 3.5 This washing or second birth or being born again is called the new birth by the washing of regeneration the renewing of the Holy Ghost In this new birth we are washed ontwardly with water but inwardly by the Holy Ghost but God is pleased to use this as an Instrument by which he will conveigh the graces of his holy Spirit Some Divines think that the first grace is not given in baptisme but confirmed and sealed up Indeed in men of ripe yeers it was so required vve hear that Beliefe or Faith was first required in them before they were baptized Others might say so and yet felt not the Faith they then professed but God having given them a mind to be baptized might convey grace to them in their baptisme It s a great question between us and the Papists whether the Sacraments be instrumenta Physica or moralia whether they Physically convey grace to the soul as elebore temperature cure to the mind against Drunkennesse or any drug of medicinal power to the Patient Or but morally which he useth to concomitate according to his pleasure to make effectuall as he will for as Saint Augustin said long agoe All that receive the Sacraments of grace doe not receive the Grace of the Sacrament Simon Magus was baptized as well as Simon Peter Act. 8.13 Simon himselfe beleeved also and was baptized He beleeved historically the Doctrine taught whereupon he was so far convinced that hee received baptisme but not salvifically v. 23. For hee was still in the Gall of bitternesse and Bond of iniquity yet upon the outward confession of Faith the Apostles not knowing the secrets of his heart he was admitted to Baptisme But it may be some of the newly minted will quarrell me for saying that Simon Peter was baptized and where I can prove it in the Scriptures As they doe for baptisme of our Children To which I answer That all good Christians that oportunely might were baptized But Peter was a Christian and oportunely might Ergo Peter was baptized this they must grant except they will deny Peter to have been a Christian and yet wee have no particular place explicit totidem terminis in Scripture to prove this Even so suppose we have no particular place explicit in Scripture in terminis to prove that Infants were baptized yet we have such generall grounds for it as out of which we may safely deduce particulars as we shall shew hereafter It was no small oversight in Reuben to devide himself from the rest of the Tribes when the common enemies threatned them all and for this his division there were great thoughts of heart It s as little difcretion for this too highly conceipted generation who are all for prescribing of Laws to their brethren but for the receiving of none to divide themselvs from the rest of their brethren and make a rent in the seamlesse coat of Christ when the common enemies would take it away all which hath been no small grief to such as do sapere ad sobrietatem and are not byassed with that height of singurality and conceipted infallibility in stead of which God grant unto them a greater measure of discretion and a more common expression of Charity But I return to the point whole housholds were baptized Anabaptists or whosoever except against baptizing of children cannot shew that all these whole housholds were without children or that none of them had any in 2. Where mention is made of Baptisme in Scriptures they are no where excepted Which in all probability they would have beene if Christ had meant that they should not have been baptized 3. In no other place nor upon any other occasion are they forbidden 4. From the Apostles times downward these 1600. yeeres it hath been the practice of the Church of God Origen upon Rom. 6. saith That the Church received baptizing of Infants from the Apostles themselvs And therefore Cyprian in his Epistle adfidum would have care taken for the baptizing of new born Infants Cyprill upon Levit. 8. to the like purpose Herom lib. 3. contra Pelagianos August lib. 4. contra Donatistes cap. 23.24 not from the authority of men or councels but from the tradition or Doctrine oâ— the Apostle what need more for so ancient and cleer a truth 5. Mat. last 19. Go and teach all Nations and baptize them c. But again this place the exception is that teaching and baptizing are there put together and therefore they say that none might be baptized but such as were capable of teaching To which I answer that there is one consideration de ecclesia constituenda another de ecclesia constituta one consideration of a Church but in framing another of a Church already framed The Church was but in framing when the Apostles went first abroad and then the Church was collected of men and women of ripe yeers all which were capable of teaching and so of baptizing and therefore are they conjoyned and because they were then Heathens and had never heard of Christ it was needfull that such should first be preached to and taught before they were baptized to know what Baptisme was what was required to it what was the end of it and the benefit that came by it and then the immediatum subjectum baptismi in sacris were adulti the immediate subject of Baptisme in Scriptures were men of ripe yeers then no Infants might be baptized but of such men as had been first made Christians and baptized themselves and so being come within the Covenant themselves their Infants were intraducible by vertue of that But now if Christ had meant that Infants should first have been baptized not men of ripe yeers when the Church was but in framing and was at first to be framed and collected and when the Apostles first went out to preach then no doubt but Christ would have named them in particular and sub â—a notione as well as others but the Church was not first framed and gathered of such but of their Parents and so they induce their priviledge Yet they were but the secundarium or mediatum subjectum baptismi and therefore it will not follow that because Teaching was joyned with Baptizing when the Church was first to be collected of the Gentiles and Heathen people and men of ripe yeers as then the immediate subject of it that therefore none might afterward be baptized but such as were capable of Teaching 2 When our Saviour said Goe teach and baptize all Nations he made no exception of Infants in their Order out of the Commission generall as thus Goe ye and teach all Nations and baptize such as are capable of Teaching but no Children or Infants or none else No but thus Goe and teach all Nations and baptize them excepting neither small nor great young nor old 3 Goe thâ—refore and teach all Nations as many as are capable of Teaching and baptize them first
mistaking that place Mat. 3.11 but that was fulfilled Acts 2.3 when cloven tongues of fire fell upon the Apostles Niceph. lib. 3. hist eap 3.4 tells us of one that was baptized with sand but when it was known to the Church he was further baptized The former was not sufficient because it had not Christs prescription for his was the Element of Water who as it is the most common liquor to wash filthinesse from the body so it most fitly resembles Christs bloud to wash away all manner of filthinesse from the soule Ezek. 16.6 God saw the people of Israel in their blood and in their filthinesse in that corrupt state of nature that every man is born in but verse 9. Out of His meere mercy He washed her with Water and annointed her with Oyl that was the graces of his holy Spirit So here a man must be born again of Water and the Spirit As for the circumstances of Baptisme they are not so much materiall whether the whole body be dipped in water or it be sprinkled upon the Party In the Primitive Times and especially in those hot countries the whole body was put in water as now it s buried under the ground hence Rom. 6.4 they were said to have been buried with Christ in their Baptisme unto his death and the taking of them up again which presented our resurrection concerning which you may reade more at large in the Counsels of Laodicea and Neocesaria But we must know that many of ripe yeeres were then baptized that were able to indure it and for Infants the Country was hotter but now where Infants onely are baptized and such as are in cold Countries diving their whole bodies into the waters were enough to bury them indeed oâ— cause them to dye not onely to baptize them Againe in those times some dipped them thrice into the vvaters some but once of those that dipped them thrice some would signifie Christs three dayes lying in the grave as Tertull and Cypr. others the Trinity in whose name they were baptized those that dipped but once would signifie the unity in Trinity but wee stand not upon these And even as a man can but be once born naturally no more can he but bee once born spirituall which in the Text is called being borne again grosse therefore is the opinion and practice of the Anabaptists who re-baptize their prosylited into their errour St. Cypr. fell about rebaptizing of Heretiques against whom Cornelius did justly oppose himselfe c. In this Baptisme the Papist say that originall sinne is so taken away that after it it s but an occasion of sinne but we say with St. Aug. whom all orthodox Divines in this point have followed tollitur reatu remanet actu though the guilt of it betaken away in elect Infants yet it remaines a sinne as a Serpent remains a Serpent when his sting is gone yet cannot kill and it s kept under and diminished in the faithfull by degrees Epiphanius compares it to a Tree growing in the Walls of some stately building which may bee lopped and kept under but the root vvill never be pulled out untill the Wall be pulled down no more will originall sinne untill the body and soule bee pulled asunder by death Originall sinne remains a sinne in the Elect and regenerate after Baptisme Yet secondly the guilt of that sinne is taken away in elect Infants And ordinarily in baptisme where it is compleat If I had not bin occasioned to the handling of these two points I should not have fallen so fully upon them but the most vvise God hath his providence in every thing I shall point a little at Originall sinne and then come home to the point And in it we vvill first consider the quod sit that it is and secondly the quale sit what it is for the former briefly Ephes 2.3 natura filii irae and vvere by nature the children of vvrath that is by reason of our corrupt nature infected vvith originall sinne and Rom. 7.23 There was a Law in Pauls members rebelling against the Law of his mind c. by vvhich Lavv of his members is meant vitiositas naturae the corruption of his nature which did inhaerere stick in them and as a Law irritated him to what was evill 2. The quale what such it is It s a defect of Originall justice with an aptitude to all manner of evill haereditarily come upon us by vertue of Adams guilt The Schoole Divines make two branches of it and in it consider the materiale and the formale the muteriale they conceive to be concupiscence the formale the defect of originall Justice or privation of it thus Aquinas and his followers who were both many acute and learned though other wise carried â—â—ay with the errours of their times In his pr. sec qu 82. art 3. in corporit calce thus in particular Cajetan Alexander Alensis Durandus this infected the whole man both in all the faculties of the soule or organs of the body as instruments to vent execute that inward corruption and this is the Doctrine of all our Orthodox Divines And Aquinas herein said well in his pr. sec qu 82. art 2. ad jum in peccato originali virtualiter praeexistant omnia peccata actualia sicut in quodam principio In originall sinne all our actuall sins do praeexist as in a certain common root or principle but I would be briefe in every passage And seeing that this is an haereditary disease or inhaerent corruption in our nature not the substantiall nature it selfe first hence Illyricus was much to blame who in his book de essentia justitiae and injustitiae originalis atque etiam in tractatu quodam adjuncto disputationi quam habuit cum Victorino Strigetio vivariae held that originall sinne was a substance a daemone factam made by the Devil which was viva essentialis ejus imago his living and essentiall Image not much unlike that of the Maniches asserted by Augustine Tom 7. lib. 6. contra Julianum cap. 1. Aug. in quod vult Deum haeres 88. who held that it was extranea mali naturanostrae naturae admixta 2. Hence the Pelagians are condemned who denied originall sinne in Infants contrary to Rom. 5.12 3. The Anabaptists Armenians and Albaneuses as Castrensis hath it lib. 12. haeres And now I come to the point that it remains in the regenerate as a sinne even after baptisme Amesius Tom. 4. lib. 2. Bell. enervati cap. 3. affirmes it to be sinne in such properly And in the Argument of that booke in the name of the reformed Churches 2. Mr. Rogers on the Articles of Religion condcluded for the Church of England whose propositions thence deduced were printed by authority Anno 1585. and 87. upon the 9. Art concerning originall sinne Proposition 3. Originall sinne remains in Gods children 3. Perkins in the order of causes page 98. It s the root of all actuall sinne and therefore even after baptisme saith he it
to send out the prayer of Faith for it And page 643. to such as dye Infants giving that Spirit which works either Faith or some thing proportionable for their justification regeneration sanctification and salvation In the latter which survive and live to discretion vvorking the seeds and inclination of Faith which in due time shall fructifie to Eternal Life See Polan lib. 6. cap. 55. quo promissa est gratia invisibilis exhibetur Wallebius in compendio Theol. lib. 1. cap. 23. Fidem non secus ac rationem habent acsi non in fructu tamen insemine radice c. They have Faith as they have Reason though not in the act and exercise of it yet in the Root of Seed or it they have virtuall petentiall and inclinative Faith and they have it in Actu primo saith Walleb seeing they have spiritum fidei the Spirit of Faith though not in actusecundo Prosp de vocatione gent. lib. 1. cap. 18. Originem verae justitiae in regenerationis Sacramento positam esse ut vbi homo tenascitur ibi etiam ipsarum virtutum veritas Oriatur Yea some moderne Divines have afforded them the habit of Faith Polan synagmat lib. 9. cap. 6. though others cannot see how that should be of which never after any shew without new instruction Estius in lib. 4. Sent d. 4. sect 6. calls it habitum sopitum or qualitatem quiescentem which saith he constituat vere credentes sperantes diligentes c. although it cannot actuate except the impediment of the age be removed and externall doctrine or instruction accede by the outward senses I say thus that if by an habit bee meant an inchoat habit infused it may be true but not of a perfect habit for then the former exception may take place but an inchoate habit and a disposition to a perfect one are all one for Disposition and Habit thus differ not specie but gradu as tempor fervor and thus in effect It s no more then what we heard before the School-men that follow Aquin. part 3. qu. 69. art 6. in corpore say thus for their perfect habit the impotentia operandinon accidit pueris ex defectu habituum sed ex impedimento corporali even as men that are sleeping they have the habits of vertue though whilst such they cannot exercise them Taylor on Titus page 939. in his doctrine in Calce God in baptisme not onelyoffers and signifies but truly exhibiteth grace c. and that vertuall and inclinative beliefe in them is acceptable to God in Christ as actuall in aedu tis it savours therefore too strongly of an Anabapticsticall conceipt to think that Infants are not capable of inward graces of baptisme unlesse they had actuall Faith St. August To 3. in enchirid ad laurent cap. 54. Baptism itis munere quod contra origin ale peccatum donatum est ut quod generatione attractum est regeneratione detrahatur and a little after unde incipit hominis renovatio here mans renovation begins And Tom. 7. lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis cap. 9. speaking of the Pelagians denying originall sinne Hinc enim etiam in paroulis nolunt credere per Baptismun solvi originale peccatum they will not beleove that Originall sinne is is taken away in children by baptisme lib. 2. cap. 28. Although Law of concupiscence remain in our members manente ipsa reatus ejus solvitus though it abide yet the guilt of it is taken away and then it followes sed eisolvitur qui Saccamentum regenerationâ—s accaepit renov â—â—ique jam caepit its taken away in such as have received the Sacrament of regeneration and now have begun to be renewed lib. 6. contra Julianum ergo quia parvuli baptizantur in Christo peccato moriuntur a potestate tenebrarum ubi natura filii ira fucrant erunutur Children are baptized in to the death of Christ and dye to sinne and although by nature they were the children of wrath yet are they hereby plucked out of the power of darknesse lib. 1. contra 2. Ep. Pelag. cap. 13. ipsa carniâ— concupiscentiain baptisme sic dimittitur ut quanquam tract a sit a nascentibus nihil noceat renascentibus concupiscence in baptisme is so taken away that though it be contracted to posterity yet it hurts not the party regenerate lib. de nuptiiâ— cap. 23. haec in qu am concupiscentia quae sola Sacramento regenerationis expiatur c. Martyr loc com clas 4. cap. 8. sect 2. cham lib. 5. de Sacr. cap. 4. par 6. Cal. Institutionum lib. 4. cap. 14. sect 17. Gerar. voss Thes Theol. de paedo baptismo pant 1. Thes 15. Musclai com q. 1. sect 8. Junius de paedo bapt thes 10. August Tom. 3. lib. 14. de Tul. cap. 17. This concupiscence which by the onely Sacrament of Baptisme is expiated or purged namely front the guilt and by the Sacrament as you have heard is then meant the thing signified as well as the signe Nazianzen in laudem Gorgonii calls it divinae bonum the good of divine beginnings Athanasius in his book of Questions dedicated to Antiochus qu. 2. propounds this when a man may know that he hath beene baptized and received the Spirit in Baptisme being but an Infant when he was baptized Answ osper oun en gastri labousa gune even as a woman may know that she is conceived with child when there is life Even so a Christian by the springing of his heart in solemn dayes of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and by the inward joyes he then conceives oti to pneuma to agion elabe baptistheis that he received the Holy Ghost when he was Baptized-Chrysost Hom. 1. in Acta Oti to curiotaten to pneuma esti di hou cai to vdor energei in Baptisme the Spirit is the chiefe by which the water becomes effectuall not as any proper cause or any Phyficall Instrument as you have heard Basil de spiritu sancto cap. 10. answers to the question how Christians are saved dia tes en too Baptismati caritos by the grace he received in Baptisme St. Hierom. lib. 3. dialogorum contra Pelagianos asking in cavelling manner why Infants are Baptized answers vt ijs peccata in baptismate dimittantur that their sins might be remitted in Baptisme See further St. Aug. Ep. 23. ad Bonifacium and the godly and learned Mr. Prinne in his Perpetuity page 354. To which I adde learned Dr. Whittaker de Sacramentis ingenere qu. 4. cap. 2. respon ad testimonium septimum Deus in Baptismo signifieat remissionem peccatum sanae ita re operatur veritas cum signo conjuncta est in electis God both signifies remission of sins in Baptisme and indeed so works it in the Elect yet the truth of the signe is joyned with it this also Dr. Fran. White makes good against Fisher page 176. God doth not use to mock his people with empty signes but by his power inwardly makes good what
by the outward sign he represents unto us and what have beene said of this of Faith in elect Infants you have heard and how in time it fructifies Dr. Fately in his Childrens Baptisme in page 59. saith the effects of the Spirit are begun at our Baptism c. p. 60. they have purg'd away the guilt of their sins and Christs righteousnesse is imputed to them Yet onely give me leave to relate what St. August saith of this Ep. 23. ad Bonif. seme perceptam parvulis Christi gratiam non amittit nisi propria impietate si aetatis accessu tam malus evaserit c. this grace of Christ once received the child looseth not except by his own vilenesse when he comes to yeers and then his actuall sins are not removed by his baptismall regeneration sed alia curatione sanentur they must be healed by actuall repentance and yet as Mr. Prinne Obs this will not follow that therefore a converted child of God may fall either totally or finally from actuall grace Our own Church Art 25. printed 1562. they are called effectuall signes of grace Now if God doe not effect grace in some sort by them they are not effectuall In our Forme of Baptisme in the Church of England we have been taught thus to pray That the child may be baptized with water and with the Holy Ghost be received into Christs Church and made a lively member of the same and that comming to baptisme it may receive remission of its sins by spirituall regeneration and give thy Holy Spirit to this Infant that it may be born againe And after Baptisme seeing now that this Child is regenerate c. and I do not quote this as any authority of its selfe any further then made good by Orthodox Divines Ames Tom. 3. lib. 2. cap. 3.75 page though all Infants receive not grace in Baptisme neither say we so Deum tamen quibusdam cum baptizantur habitum vel Principium gratiae in fundere non negamus Davenant in Col. 2.12 Spiritum gratiae inbaptismo acceptum Dr. Featley Part. 2. inward grace ordinarily accompanieth the outward signe Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit Our Saviour you see begins at Baptisme with Nicodemus and the Spirituall Birth when he would have him a Christian And as in the Scriptures we reade of a twofold Circumcision so there is a twofold Baptisme a twofold Circumsiod Rom. 2. two last For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumsion which is outward in the flesh that is it is not that Circumcision alone that makes a man acceptable to God without the other whereof that was a symbole but he is a Jew which is one within and the Circumcision of the heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God So hee is not an acceptable Christian to God that is onely baptized outwardly with Water but he that is one inwardly baptized also with the Spirit therefore our Saviour puts them both together Except a man bee born again of Water and the Spirit 2 Kings 4.31 When the Shunamites Child was dead the Prophet sent Gehezie with his staffe to lay upon the face of the child and to quicken it but no life nor motion did appeare by that then vers 35. the Prophet himselfe comes and hee layes his mouth to the Childs mouth c. and then presently it begins to revive and life was restored unto it Thus we may lay Water alone upon the Body but it can introduce no Spirituall life but when the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit â—omes together with it then life is infused into the soule And secondly as a man can perceive nothing of the things of this life except he be first born into the world naturally no more can he perceive any thing of the sweetnesse of the life to come except hee bee first borne againe spiritually Thirdly even as the Children of Israel when they came out of Egypt were first to goe through the Red Sea 2. Through the solitary wildernesse 3. To be fed with Manna 4. To passe through Jordan and then 5. and lastly into the Land of Promise even so are we first to passe through the water of Baptisme 2. Through the Wildernesse of Temptation 3. God therein affords the Manna of consolation 4. After both Death and 5. and lastly then that aeternall Canaan or rest of glory Fourthly our Saviour saith not except this man or that man be borne againe but speakes indefinitely except a man be born againe that is as much as except every man be born again that may for the Logitians tells us as you have heard that in materia necessaria propositioni definita est instar vniversalis though in contingenti but particularis In a matter necessary an indefinite proposition is as an universall so that it s not left to every mans judgement as a thing indifferent whether he will be baptized or no but he must if he may if he mean to enter Heaven Fifthly we may observe that this is spoken to a Jew a man that had been circumcised before Amen Amen dico tibi to ye yet to circumsion he addes Baptisme putting an end as it were to the one and beginning the other therefore the Jewes do wrangle in vaine contending for Circumsion to bee for ever and never altered because it s said Gen. 17.7 That God made an everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and Abraham believed before he was circumcised and afterwards received the signe of Circumsion which is also called a Seale of the Righteousnesse of Faith and to Ahraham it was given as a signe that hee believed the divine promise of the Seed to come Gal. 3.16 He saith not as to the Seeds as speaking of many but to thy Seed as to one which is Christ in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed Circumcision then was an open signe of the confession of this Seed to come now the Seed being come if any man should retain circumsion as still necessary he should as much as signifie he were not come Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing So that to the Jewes objection out of Gen. I answer thus faedus Dei cum populo sempiternum but signumillud particul are non esset aeternum although the Covenant of God with his people was to be aeternall yea their particular signe of circumcision was not to be so for though the covenant held yet the sign of the covenant was alterable for circumcision was not pactum but signum pacti circumcision was not the covenant its selfe but the signe of the covenant It s observeable in sacred Writ quod Deus ter faedus suum cum homine renovavit renewed his covenant three times with man and the sign was every time preximius perfectius the nearer to him and the more perfect First he made a
being born againe of Water and the Spirit that he stayes not for Nicodemus his asking him a reason of this Doctrine sed ipse ultro rationem raddit he willingly renders a reason himselfe in this verse of the Text That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh which may let us see how a sound Teacher should render a good reason of his Doctrine and not onely dictate and afford no proofs to establish the faith of his hearer If the men that pretend so much now light would do so it werewell I have lately seen a little Pamphlet concerning Church offices in New-England wherein it is reported how that American Jezabel one Hutchinson a Gentlewoman under the pretence of this new light did exceedingly trouble the Churches and yet of a long time could not cleerly discover the originall of it that linnen prophetesse under pretence of new light did so gull and infatuate old Professors that they sleighted and undervalued their old Teachers in regard of it whom they had followed by Sea and Land and forsaken the places of their nativity for the love of them which light was indeed nothing else but a mere imaginary flash in the Pharisie by which the Divell changing himself into an Angell of light beguiled them untill at length her impostures were found out she after long debate of the matter convicted and adjudged to be banished that their Churches might have rest some of the beames of this light are extended to our Nation there may bee such imaginary illuminates in it but qua tales wee know they are not of us The enemy that too well loves his crosse rowes is still in hand with his A. and his B. ANABAPTISTS and BROWNISTS but they will not C. that the Church of England deselaims these Suppose the graces of Gods Spirit may be in such men as are of the more tollerable temper amongst them yet St. Paul would not forbear Peter because of his graces when he did wrong but reproved him roundly for it the peace of the Church should be valued at an high rate of all such as do sapere ad sobrietatem and such as speak not the words of sobernesse as well as truth deserve censure as Paul said to Festus Act. 26.25 Gen. 1.16 God made two great lights the Sun to rule the day the other the night he made also the Stars but these borow their light from the Sun Now if any man should tell us of new light and yet after that of more new light be it of Candle or Torch or the like I would aske what these were in comparison of the light of the Sun Moon c. So god made other two great lights in the Firmament of the Church the Old Testament to governe the Jewes the New to governe both Jewes and Gentiles that Lumen innatum or light God lent from Heaven contained in them wee willingly receive from them and all the Stars of the Churches horrow their light from hence Lord open their eyes to distinguish betweeen this light to be drawn from it and that lumen adventitium or adventitiall light brought to it Hos 6. latter part of the 5. vers thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth Now this adventitiall light in comparison of the innate light is but as a Candle before the Sun between which there is no comparison and where the Sunne can have accesse a candle is needltsse so where the light of the Scriptures can take place there is no need of this imaginary light of man If a man should conceive that there were not innate light enough in the Sunne to illuminate our hemisphaere but should devise some new light of Torches to set upon every Beacon to illuminate the Ayre and let men see how to travell would not all men laugh at him knowing that this was but a superfluous conceipt and that many ages had travelled well enough without any such light as well as with them even so here If we shall boast of new light and more light which cannot be found in the Scriptures nor drawne from them and set up that and magnifie it amongst men as though the other contained not sufficient may not men either think them proud or ridiculous in not being content to travell by that light in which so many ages of the Church have gone to Heaven before them surely yes But they will say that they have a greater measure of Gods Spirit infused to see and interpret that innate light than hath been before them I answer 1. That divers points of their illuminate Doctrine cannot be made good by the Scriptures neither are they according to the analogie of Faith 2. That Light in the Scriptures being the Light of Gods Spirit if their Light agree not with that it cannot be from God 3. Many of Gods people that have the Spirit in as great a measure as they have and shew it by the effects cannot conceive their opinions to be truth as consonant to that sacred Truth of God Es 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them let them boast of what they will and Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from Heaven preach any other Dectrine let him be accursed 1 John 4.1 Try the Spirits whether they be of God or no and beleeve not every Spirit c. that is every Doctrine that is pretended to come from the Spirit intimating that there may not be Doctrines pretended from the Spirit that are not of the Spirit c. This indeed I willingly grant that there may lye a truth in a text which a carnall eye may travell over many yeeres and not be discovered thus the Rabbins of the Jewes the Scribes and Pharisees did often reade over many Texts in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes which concerned Christ and which they understood not these very places Christ himself and his Apostles whose understandings he had opened to understand the Scriptures Luke last 49. did often quote against them and confute them Hos 6.6 It s said I will have mercy and not sacrifice this though often read yet not understood of them therefore Mat. 9.13 Goe yee saith our Saviour and learne what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice See againe Psalm 100.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thy Foes thy Foot-stoole This place though they had often read yet they did not understand as may appeare by Mat. 22. from 44. to the end When those learned Pharifies were assembled verse 41. our Saviour begun to pose â—hose Owle-eyed Doctors and moves his question upon these words The Lord said unto my Lord c. whereas they had said before verse 42. that CHRIST was DAVIDS Sonne he replyes If be bee Davids Sonne how doth he then call him Lord but they could not answer him a word neither durst any from that day forth aske him any more questions thus you
see how a truth may lye in a Text which carnall eyes cannot discover though otherwise learned But this will not hold that because they before Christ could not ergo not wee 2. That carnall eyes could not ergo not those that are illuminated by Gods holy Spirit and being the righteous to whom he reveales his secrets these could never be so far over-sighted but if the light came from the Scripture they would see it as well as others yet the most excellent of them cannot finde this new pretended light justified there so much for that point I now come to the last That which is borne of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Our Saviour having showne Nicedemus the necessity of regeneration stayed not as you have heard to see whether hee would aske a reason of it or no but willingly renders one as also the manner of it of Water and the Spirit without which you have heard he could not enter Now if our Saviour had not said thus man might have imagined that he might have gone to Heaven by his owne Wisdome or civill righteousnesse or humane strength or depth of Learning or the like nay alas whatsoever is in a man naturally or from mans naturall strength will not do it for so he is but flesh Quod natum est excarne caro est That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh These words are dark we must therefore draw the vaile of them and then we shall the more cleerely conceive of them the Flesh in Scriptures is taken in severall senses it vvill be our labour therefore to finde out the true sense of it in this place First the Flesh in Scriptures is sometimes put for this present Life 1 Peter 4.2 the Apostle would have men for the space of their lives yet unspent for as much time as remained in the Flesh not to live after the lusts of men but after the will of God and 1 Phil. 1.24 It s better for you saith the Apostle that I abide in the Flesh that is in this present life Secondly we are sometimes to understand the body of Flesh the one essentiall part of man Levit. 19.28 Yee shall not cut your flesh for the dead nor make any print of a marke upon you either by burning lashing or flashing as the Gentiles did I have not thus taught you to hate your flesh neither can this any way benefit the dead Thirdly by the flesh we are somtimes to understand the humane nature of CHRIST 1 Peter 3.18 He was put to death concerning the Flesh that is in his humane nature for in his divine nature he could not suffer that supported his humane nature in his suffering Fourthly for the unregenerate estate of a man when he is in his corrupt nature which he drew from Adam and in many actuall sinnes drawne from that unhappy roote thus Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man because he is but Flesh that is a corrupt and sinfull creature naturally devoid of grace and that which is born of this flesh is flesh like unto it for Job 14.4 who can bring a clean thing out of filthinesse there is not one but of sinfull nature is born sinfull nature Gen. 5.3 It s said that Adam lived one hundred and thirty yeere and begot a sonne in his owne likenesse after his owne Image and called his name Sheth that is he was like him in Sex 2. Humano specie in humane shape in all the members of the body 3. And lastly after his Image in the corruption of nature for he had corrupted and defaced that Image of GOD after which he was created which was in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 for the most principall part of Gods Image did consist in these and so did not beget a sonne in that Iniage in which GOD created him but in his likenesse and after his Image such a one as by sinning he had made himselfe here was ex earne caro flesh of flesh quod natum est ex earne card est that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh thus againe Rom. 8.5 they that are after the Flesh doe savour the things of the Blesh that is those that are as yet in their unregenerate estate they affect those courses the most that suite the best with the corruptions of nature they are in love with them and doe the most delight in them and cannot endure to be crossed in them yet verse 6. The wisdome of the flesh is death not onely temporally for so all dye but eternally yet how doe men beare themselves by their carnall wisdome yea so much that it teacheth them how to sleight the wisdome of God revealed in his holy Word and will and will be subject no further to it then where it erosseth not theirs but see the misery of their wisdome verse 7. This wisdome is enmity against GOD it is not subject to the Law of God true say some that is de facto but it may be if it will nay the next words marre that neither indeed can be and verse 8. they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD that is they that are in an unregenerate estate in the pleasure of these sinnes and have not had the guilt of repentance from God they cannot in this estate please God all they doe in point of Religion are but splendida peccata as St. Augustine termes them guilded sinnes or sinnes per accidens sinnes in that respect that the person is not justified or sanctified that doth them their cause therefore is lamentable the wrath of God abides upon them for sinne though they will not be sensible of it 5. And lastly to stand upon no more acceptions the flesh is sometimes taken for the unregenerate part of a regenerate man for wee are but regenerate in part either in faculty of soule or instruments of body we are not perfectly and wholly sanctified so that no corruption or sinne remains in us therefore in Scriptures that is in us is called flesh and the regenerate is called Spirit thus Rom. 8.1 you have them opposed there is then no condemnation to those that are in Christ that walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and thus againe verse 4. that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled on us who walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And Verses 12.13 therefore Brethren we are not Daughters to the Flesh to live after the Flesh that is to live after the motions and corrupt imaginations of our owne corrupt heart is minde for of those can come no good we are no debtors to the flesh for any thing wee can doe after the wisdome of it or the direction of it but wee are debtors to the Spirit who is still moving to goodnesse and to put us forward in that way which will save our poore soules If we live after the Flesh we shall dye but if we mortifie the deeds of the