The new birthThe nevv birth

For the kingdom of God is peace, saith the Apostle Paul, ¹and being justified by faith, (which in nature goeth before this work of regeneration, though in time they be conjoined) we have peace with God. Then in truth Christ fulfilleth his promise of leaving his peace with them;² even such a peace as the world cannot take away from them; and this peace that passeth all understanding, is even as a guard & a watch to keep their whole souls in quietness & safety, though in the world they meet with many troubles and disquietments. Their consciences by this most sweet grace becometh an admirable friend unto them: It tells them from God, that he is reconciled unto them; and being calmed from the former raging wherewith it was tossed, it now makes unto them (even within to the care of the soul) the most pleasing music, & the sweetest melody that is to be heard in all the world. It acquitteth, it excuseth, & in the name and in the room of God, it pronounceth absolution. O unspeakable consolation! This is the peculiar happiness ⟨p. 74⟩of the sanctified, they have many times tranquillity in their souls through this peace of their consciences, which with a quiet countenance, & a still voice it doth publish within in their hearts. And yet in the middest of this peace their consciences are not dead and sleepy neither; but are ready in a friendly & loving manner to check & control them, if at any time, in things known unto them to be evil, they shall offend: a good man is so conscionable, that he can in no known thing swerve out of the way, but his conscience will be telling him of it. Only this is done in fair terms, not with outrageous bitterness driving him from God, as in former times; but with kind & yet earnest expostulations, drawing him before God to confess & seek pardon.³ Thus Davids hart, that is, his conscience, smote him, when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment. Thus his hart also smote him after the numbering of the people, & he went in before the Lord & said, I have done exceeding foolishly, ⁴but do away the sin of thy servant. And though the conscience (being too much put to it by the servants of God in their folly) do wax somewhat sharp; yet still it keepeth this note of difference from the unpurged conscience, that it draws them unto God. So a good conscience is both quiet, for it promiseth forgiveness;