Next, now sixthly and lastly, for ending of this text, I am to speak of the marks of this change; or rather, I may call them, the effects of this change, the certain and infallible signs of the same. Yet look not that here I will undertake to handle a commonplace, and shew unto you all the si^ns of regeneration ; only I will contain myself within this text, contented to shew you those which this scripture affordeth, which whosoever hath, may assure themselves of the rest. Wherein, ere we proceed further in particular, let us first make the general ; that is, a taming, a subduing, a, taking away of the fierceness and cruelty of our corrupt nature. This throughout the text is the main mark of the change ; which will yet be more evident by the particulars.
What meaneth this, ' that the lion shall lie down with the calf, that the leopard shall lie down with the kid,' when they shall come from their own kind to another strange generation, as it were? What meaneth this, that they shall trust one another with their young ones ? that the lion shall no more prey upon blood, as in times past, but eat straw with the ox? that the serpent shall let the little child play upon the hole of his den ? and all these to be so tamed that a little child should lead them, take them, and rule them ? What meaneth all this but this.
That it is av oninent and infallible mark of regeneration to have the violence and fierceness of our cruel 7iature taken, aivay. This is a sure sign; for this look Rom. i. 29, how naturally the heart is filled with all maliciousness and sinful cruelty, which to be subdued and tamed is a special grace ; so Gal. vi. 7-9, and Eph. iv. 17, et seq. There you may see the fruits of the old man to be idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, wrath, strife, sedition, &c. ; there you may also read of a change, of a renewing of the new man in love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against whom there is no law. There you may see what a great alteration this change maketh, and what the marks of corruption are.
But yet there it is worth the marking, that here in these places the Holy Ghost calleth for works of mercy, to perform duties to men, meekness, temperance, patience, &c., not mentioning duties directly due unto God. W^hy are these duties towards men so much urged, but to shew that our corruption is not so much manifested in the worship of God as in works of mercy to men ? Therefore it is that all the prophets do so call for works of mercy, that Christ himself so inviteth t-hereunto, because men may deceive the world with a counterfeit show of outward justice to God, but in works of mercy there is no means to escape, Micah vi. 7. * If the first-born, or ten thousand rivers of oil,' with a number of the like sacri- fices, might please God, all would be given for the sin of the soul ; but the Lord calleth for works of mercy, meekness, and to walk humbly with God.
Now the cause why men are so hardly brought to be merciful to others, and more easily to works of piety towards God's worship, I take to be, because, as it is John viii. 44, ' the devil is a liar and a murderer from the beginning.' Now his prime quality being to be a murderer, he worketh so in the children of disobedience, that, like tmto him, they have a murderous
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disposition to shew no mercy, to relieve none, which sheweth that such are poisoned with the same sorts of poison wherewith he is infected. Thus you see there must be a general meekness in all who are heavenly wise, far from this murderous disposition. So James iii. 13, he saith, * Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you ? let him shew out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom.' There he speaks of a deviHsh wisdom, which comes not from above, * which is full of envying and strife ; 'but the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,' &c. Thus he shews by what coat-armour* a Christian must be known; how the sons of God must be discerned. This is the general mark : if that natural cruelty and bitterness bred in us be taken away, and meek- ness, gentleness, and the like, put in place thereof, this for the general is a sure sign that the change is made, regeneration is begun. Now I come to speak of these marks and infallible signs of regeneration contained in this text, which must be in some measure in the party regenerate The first is,
1. Harmlessness. * Which, though it be a thing that runs along the body of my text, and is last named, yet here I bring it first, because it is partly implied in all ; for in this, that it is said ' the little child shall play upon the hole of the asp,' and take no hurt, what doth this imply but a mild and harmless disposi- tion, contrary to our natural fierceness and cruelty ? It is written, Prov. iii. 27, ' Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, though it be in thy power to do it.' As I take it, by good in that place is meant works of mercy ; that we must be so like God as may be in works of charity. He that jTefuseth works of mercy to those in need, he is a murderer. How can a man say he is renewed, unless in some sort he be like unto God in mercifulness ? We see the wicked, it is a prime quality in them to do mischief; they delight in evil; it is meat and drink to them to do wickedly ; they are still musing on some cursed deed or other. But it is a property of God's child to be harmless. Yet for further trial of this grace note we two signs of this sign.