A15003:17
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. I. Showing the order of the words, and the doctrine of them.
CHAP. I. Shewing the order of the words, and the doctrine of them.
After that the report of our Saviours many and great Miracles, had caused many of the common people in great multitudes to follow after him; at length also a man of better note and esteem (though commonly the men of most note in the world, are most backward to the things of most use for the soul), bethinks himself ⟨p. 2⟩of visiting, and conferring with him. This man, by Name, is called Nicodemus; by Place, he was a Ruler of the Jews; by Degree, a Doctor; by Sect, a Pharisee; a generation of men, not so glorious in the world, for their fair out-side, as loathsome to Christ for their soul in-side. Now because the carnal regard of his worldly credit (the main block that many times lies in the way of greatness, to hinder it from frequenting the poor and despised School of Christ), made him unwilling to be seen, and accounted one of the followers of the poor Carpenter of Nazareth: he therefore hides himself under the curtain of darkness, and chooseth the opportunity of the Night-season; by benefit whereof, he might enjoy some private communication with our blessed Saviour, unobserved of his proud and spiteful fellow-Pharisees. His first salutation to Christ is formerly set down, and hath in it a manifest demonstration of much respect and reverence borne unto him; for he doth acknowledge him to be a Teacher sent of God, and gives a just reason of his such co• fession, from the great Miracles which he […] wrought, and did daily work amongst them, •• yond all possibility, either of ignorance or denial. So hath our Saviour gotten a new Scholar into his School, and therefore enters him (as it was fit he should, though he were for other learning a great Scholar) into the very A, B, C, of Christian Religion, and begins to teach him the first principles and rudiments of the doctrine of salvation. The points of doctrine, wherein our Lord instructeth this Ruler and Doctor are two; in themselves easy enough,