But I hasten to the next. The fourth is,
4. Inwardness.
How is this implied ? Their little ones shall lie down together. There is nothing so dear unto all creatures as their young ones, of which they are most jealous. There are no creatures which are not jealous and tender of their young ones, chiefly the bear, which is most of all tender, fighting sometimes, even to the death, in defence of her young ones. But this, that the little ones of the bear, and of the cow, shall lie together, this im- plies an inwardness together, such an inwardness as I think is meant. Acts iv. 82, where it is said, ' These dwelt together, and possessed all things in common use.' Yet not losing that title they had unto the same as their own ; and, ver. 84, their charity is described, that * no man lacked any- thing which another had, but in necessity all things were common.' This, their united charity to help others, was their little ones which did lie together. And this, also, must be our trial, if whatsoever is dear and near unto us, even our young little ones, if they be ready to lie down together with the necessities of others, this is inwardness. Think of this also, that this dwelling and lying together is a thing free, not any way constrained. This is a trial of our sociableness, not when we are tied together in a cage, but at liberty, and then w^e dwell together; for many keep company now together, both in dwelling and lying together, which would fly out if time served. We read in the book of Esther, that when the Jews had the better hand, many of their enemies joined with them, but not of love, but because they had the better hand of their enemies, Esther x. 3 ; and so, when the people of God came from Egypt, many of the people, because of their prosperity, did join with them ; and now also, in the time of the gospel, I appeal to the consciences of many among us, whether they do not lie down with us for fear now. Let no man think amiss of me for that I thus speak, for now such join with us, who, if they had another day, would shew other strange tricks unto us ; and, as it is, Jer. xviii 18, ' let us smite him with our tongues ;' so many
THE TOUCHSTONE OF REGENEBATION. 135
of these are ready to smite us with their tongues now, who seem to be inward with us. What would these do if the day were their own ? Be- loved, such men cannot be of God, who thus do mahgn the servants of God. You may couple beasts together in a chain, but, being loose, they run asunder again ; so many now, like such beasts among us, are tied with chains for a while, but untie them once, and all is gone. Many of these, when once they are loose, keep company with bears and wolves. But I hasten to the fifth, which is,
5. Tractableness.
How is this implied ? A little child shall lead them and rule them. It is a true sign of grace when we become easy to be ruled and brought in compass. We read of lions to have been tamed to draw in chariots ; this is tractableness. So when a poor servant of God hath nothing but his simplicity to bring us in, this is tractableness, when we can be content to be brought in even by men inferior to us, that are simple and of mean gifts. So when the husband can endure to be brought home by the wife, being wiser and of more knowledge than she ; when the wife can be con- tent to be brought home by the daughter or maid-servant, Uke Job, who despised not the counsel of his own servants. Job xxxi. 13; this is tract- ableness. To be brief, when men can be content to come to their old, ancient food.
6. Simplicity,
Which is the sixth and last sign of this change. This is a sure trial of regeneration. But how is this implied ? That the lion shall eat straw like the ox. Beasts at the beginning were not thus cruel as since the fall of man, but did feed on grass, &c. ; so the Holy Ghost doth imply, that when our state is come back to that it was at the beginning, as near as may be, that is to say, when the lost image of God is so restored in us that a man is come to his former food again, that as then, so now, he feeds on the con- templation of the wisdom of God, the justice of God, the mercy of God, the greatness and power of God, the abundant goodness and truth of God, &c., this is a sure sign of regeneration. Cain he was bloody, and fed upon blood; therefore, as it is John iv. 32, when a man is come thus far, that he hath meat which one seeth not, whereupon he feedeth, holy thoughts, holy meditations, &c., when he can suck the breasts of God's consolations, whereon his children feed, to draw virtue from the same unto himself, this is a sure sign that a man is most happy, and born again. In a word, as the apostle speaks, when thus striving for masteries, he becomes temperate in all things, 2 Tim. ii. 5, this is a sure mark and infallible. Now, I come to the uses, which are two :