A15003:143
The new birthThe nevv birth
The new birth: or, A treatise of regeneration delivered in certain sermons; and now published by William Whately, preacher and minister of Banbury in Oxfordshire.The nevv birth: or, A treatise of regeneration delivered in certaine sermons; and now published by William Whately, preacher and minisiter of Banbury in Oxfordshire.
London: printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man, 1618
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHAP. XII. Exhorting to propagate grace to others.
But our exhortation (if you remember) had an other member;1 it is not enough for a good man to get more grace to himself, unless he do his best also to help his neighbours unto grace. They that are begotten of God, must do their utmost endeavours to beget others unto God. All things in nature have an inclination to derive their own qualities unto other things, and to assimilate or work like unto themselves, ⟨p. 140⟩that that comes near unto them. Fire makes all things hot, and water all things moist: and in nature, nothing is more ingrafted, then the propagation of the kind. Surely this new and divine nature must not be idle in this behalf; but they upon whom the Lord hath pleased, to bestow it, must labour to be his instruments, of conveying it to others. And in truth, what more comfortable thing can there be in all the world, then to be the instrument of making many to turn from the Kingdom of Satan, to the Kingdom of heaven? Doubtless the point we have proved, doth necessarily lead me to this exhortation. Seeing without regeneration there is no salvation, O let all that know the necessity, fruit, use, of a new birth, labour to hasten the new birth of others also, that so they may be furtherances to their salvation: to which if they have any degree of Christian charity, how can they choose, but put to an helping hand; although (perhaps) their endeavours that way be misconstrued, and they win no thanks, but rather hatred for their labour? A mad man in his madness, is most outrageous against those, that seek his recovery, and will needs force medicines, and good order, and diet upon him: But no man after his return to his sound mind, is (I think) so worse then mad, that then he doth not thank such friends with all his heart, and esteem himself much indebted to them for their pains: even so those that are possessed (as all unregenerate men are) with a spiritual frenzy or lunacy, may (perhaps) be distempered with choler against such as seek their regeneration; that is to say, their bringing to a right mind: But if ever the Lord show mercy unto them, and visit them with his heavenly gift, they will glorify God for us in the day of their visitation. Understand,