John. All Mankind are once born, by natural birth they come into this world; but all Gods children are born again, John 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: and this is a spiritual birth, ver 5. Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, &c. Baptism is an outward sign of it, but the inward grace is a work of the Spirit, and the Spirit worketh by the Word of God, James 1.18, 21. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth; and ver. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. By faith in the Promise the soul is united to Christ, and he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. When an afflicted soul doth venture it self and its All, upon the faithful word of Promise, and says to God, as Job said, Job 13.15. Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him; this is the new-born soul, and this believing soul shall be surely saved at last, whatever sorrows and afflictions it goes through in this life.
⟨p. 76⟩And whereas you say that your sorrows and griefs are but worldly sorrow: I answer, That the question is not what kind of sorrow it is, so much, as what the effects of it is; for no matter what the sorrow is, if it drive the soul to Christ; our salvation is by Christ, and not by sorrow: the use of sorrow is to embitter sin, and the world, and to drive the soul to Christ for relief and rest; if worldly sorrow, or rather sorrow about worldly things do this, it hath its end, and proves to be a godly sorrow. Sorrows are not to merit any thing from God, but to force the afflicted soul to fly to him for refuge. We shall find examples in Scripture, where sorrows about worldly things have effectually driven the soul to fly to God for refuge. Psal. 88.18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. This was an outward affliction, and yet in the first verse of that Psalm, it drives him to fly and cry to the God of his salvation; and this is an act of faith. So Psal. 35.15. But mine adversaries they rejoiced, they g• thered themselves together, yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their eeeth;
Iohn. All Mankinde are once born, by natural birth they come into this world; but all Gods children are born again, Iohn 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven: and this is a spiritual birth, ver 5. Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, &c. Baptism is an outward sign of it, but the inward grace is a work of the Spirit, and the Spirit worketh by the Word of God, Iames 1.18, 21. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth; and ver. 21. Wherefore lay apart all fil•hiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. By faith in the Promise the soul is united to Christ, and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. When an afflicted soul doth venture it self and its All, upon the faithful word of Promise, and sayes to God, as Iob said, Iob 13.15. Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him; this is the new-born soul, and this believing soul shall be surely saved at last, whatever sorrows and afflictions it goes through in this life.
⟨p. 76⟩And wh ereas you say that your sorrows and griefs are but worldly sorrow: I answer, That the question is not what kinde of sorrow it is, so much, as what the effects of it is; for no matter what the sorrow is, if it drive the soul to Christ; our salvation is by Christ, and not by sorrow: the use of sorrow is to imbitter sin, and the world, and to drive the soul to Christ for relief and rest; if worldly sorrow, or rather sorrow about worldly things do this, it hath its end, and proves to be a godly sorrow. Sorrows are not to merit any thing from God, but to force the afflicted soul to fly to him for refuge. We shall finde examples in Scripture, where sorrows about worldly things have effectually driven the soul to fly to God for refuge. Psal. 88.18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. This was an outward affliction, and yet in the first verse of that Psalm, it drives him to fly and cry to the God of his salvation; and this is an act of faith. So Psal. 35.15. But mine adversaries they rejoyced, they g• thered themselves together, yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their eeeth;
