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A Man that is rege∣nerate and borne of God (the whiche thinge yt euery one of vs do beeleue, oure baptisme the Sacramēt of regeneration doth require vnder paine of dampna∣tion, and therfore let euery one of vs with the virgin Mary say, be it vnto me O Lorde according to
thy worde, accordinge to thy sa∣cramēt of baptisme, wherin thou hast declared our adoption: and let vs lament the dowting here∣of in vs, striuing against it as we shalbe made able of the Lorde) a man I say, that is regenerate, cō sisteth of two mē (as a man maie saie) namely of the olde man and of the newe man. The olde man is like to a mightie Giant, such a one as was Goliath, for his birth is now perfecte. But the newe man is like vnto a little chylde, suche a one as was Dauide, for his birth is not yet perfecte vn∣till the day of his generall resur∣rection.
The olde man therefore is more stronger, iusty, and stirring, then is the new man, because the birth of the newe man is but begonne
now, and the olde man is perfect¦ly borne. And as the olde man is more stirringe, lustye, & stronger thē ye new man: so is ye nature of him cleane cōtrary to ye nature of ye new mā, as being earthly & cor¦rupt wt Satans sede, ye nature of ye new mā beīg heauēly & blessed with the celestial seed of god. So that one man, in as much as he is corrupt with the seede of the ser∣pente, is an olde man: and in as muche as hee is blessed with the seede of God from aboue, he is a new mā. And as, in as much as he is an old man, he is a sinner & an enemy to god: so in as much as he is regenerate, he is righte∣ous, and helpe, and a frende to God, the seede of God preseruīg him from sinne, so that he cannot sinne, as the seede of the serpente,
wherwith he is corrupt euen frō his cōception, inclineth him, yea enforceth him to sinne & nothing els but to sinne. Soo that the best part in man before regenera¦tion, in Gods sight, is not onely an enemie, but enmitie it selfe.
One man therfore wich is rege∣nerate, well may bee called al∣waies iust, and alwaies sinfull: iust in respect of Gods seed, and his regeneration: sinfull in res∣pect of Satans seed & his firste birth. Betwixt these two men therfore, there is continuall con∣flicte & warre most deadly. The flesh and olde man by reason of his birth that is perfect, doth of∣ten for a time, preuaile againste ye new man (being but as a child in comparison) and that in suche sorte, as not onely other, but euē
the children of God themselues thinke that they bee nothing els but olde, and that the sprit & seed of God is lost and gone away, * 1.1 wher yet notwithstandinge the the truth is otherwise, the spirit and the seede of god at the length appearing againe, and dispelling away the cloudes, which couer the sonne of gods seed from shi∣ninge, as the cloudes in the ayer do ye corporal sonne: so that some times a man cannot tell by anye sense, that there is any sonne, the cloudes and windes so hiding it frō our siht: Euen so our cecitie or blindnes and corrupte affecti∣ons * 1.2 doe oftē shadow the sight of Gods seed in Gods children, as though they were plaine repro∣bates, wherof it commeth, that they praying accordinge to their
sense, but not accordinge to the truth, desire of god to geue them againe his spirit, as though they had lost it & he had takē it away. Which thing God neuer doth in deede, althoughe he make vs to thinke so for a time: for alwayes he holdeth hys hande vnder hys childrē in their faules, that they lie not stil as other do which are not regenerate. And this is the difference betwixte Gods Chil∣dren which are regenerate, and elect before all times in Christ, & the wicked cast awayes, that the elect lie not still continually in their sinne as do the wicked, but at the length do returne againe by reason of gods seed, which is in them hid as a sparkle of fier in the asshes:as we may see in Peter, Dauid, Paule, Marye Magdalin
and others.
For these (I meane Gods Chil¦dren) God hath made all things in Christ Iesu: to whom he hath geuen this dignity, yt they should bee his inheritance & spouses.
This our inheretour Christ Ie¦sus, GOD with God, light of light, coeternal and consubstan∣ciall with the father and with the holy Gost, to the end that he might become oure husband (be∣cause the husband and the wyfe must be one body and flesh) hath taken our nature vppon hym, communicating with it and by it in his owne person, to vs all his children, his diuine maiestie, as Peter saith, and so is become * 1.3 flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones substancially: as we are become flesh of his flesh and
bone of his bones spiritually, all that euer we haue pertaining to him yea euen our sins: as al that euer he hath, perteineth vnto vs, euen his whole glory. So that if Satan should sōmon vs to aun∣swere for our dettes or sinnes, in that the wife is no sutable person but the husband, wee may well byd him enter his action against our husband Christ, and he wyll make him a sufficient answere.
For this end (I meane that we might bee coupled & maried thus to Christ, and so be certein of sal¦uatiō & at godly peace with god in our consciences) god hath ge∣geuen his holy word, which hath two partes (as now the children of God do consiste of two men) one part of gods word beīg pro∣per to ye old man, & the other part
of Gods word beinge proper to the new man. The part properly perteining to the old man is the law: the part properly perteining to the new man is the gospell.
The law is a doctrine which cō¦maundeth & forbiddeth, requi∣ring doing and auoiding. Vnder it therfore are cōteined al precep¦tes, threatnings, promises vpon condicions of our doing & auoy∣ding &c. The Gospell is a doc∣trine which alwaies offreth and giueth, requiring on our behalfe, not as of worthines or as a cause but as a cerificat vnto vs, & ther¦fore vnder it is conteined al the free and swete promises of god: as I am the lord thy god &c.
In those that be of yeres of dis¦cretiō, it requireth faith, not as a cause, but as an instrumēt wher¦by
we our selues may be certeine of our good husband Christ, and of his glorye: and therfore when the conscience feleth it selfe dys∣quieted for feare of Gods iudge∣ment * 1.4 agaynst sinne, she maye in no wise loke vppon the doctryne perteyninge to the olde man, but to the doctrine only that pertey∣neth to the newe man, in it not lo¦king for that which it requireth, yt is Faith, because we neuer be∣leue as we should: but only on it which it offreth, which it geueth yt is, on gods grace & eternal mer¦cy and peace in Christ. So shall she bee in quiet, when she loketh for it altogether out of her self in Gods mercy in Christe Iesu: in whose lappe if she laye her heade with saiut Iohn, then is she hap¦py and shal find quietnes in deed.
when she feleth her selfe quyete, then in Gods name let her looke on the lawe & vpon such thinges as it requireth, therby to brydel and kepe downe the olde Adam, to slay that Goliath, from whom she must nedes keepe the sweete promises, being the bed wherein her spouse and she mete and lie to¦gether, as the wife will kepe her bed only for her husbād, although in other thinges she is contented to haue fellowship with others, as to speake, sitte, eat, drinke, go, &c. So our cōsciences, which are Christs wiues, must nedes kepe the bed, that is, Gods swete pro¦misses, alonly for our selues and our husbande, there to meete to∣gether, to embrace and laugh to∣gether, and to be ioyful together. If sinne, the lawe, the deuyll, or
Psal. 77
2. Pet. 1.