or that have the faith to believe in him to 〈◊〉 saving of their Souls Heb. 10. ult There are many indeed that have a Faith and pretend to believe in Christ so John 8 31. Acts 8. but very few have that faith to do so in Truth neither do they much if at all desire and seek after such a Faith but are pleased and satisfied well enough without it Oh! how few are there who have the Faith of Gods Elect and their pretious Faith that do Believe through â—race and have that Faith which purifies the heart and leads them forth and carries them out of themselves to Christ to take up in him only Tit. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. Acts 15 9 Acts 18 27. This they could and would do indeed were they Regenerated for as hath been shewed all such as are Regenerated do so in and by the light and power of Christs grace in Regeneration 7. How few are there among the great multilades of professors that love God the Lord Jesus Christ his Grace Laws People and Gospel Obedience â—â—re or so much as they do their own Lusts the world and their own carnal profits pleasures and honours Oh! how few are there that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Eph. 6. ult and with their whole hearts Math. 22.37 how few are there to be found that have their hearts circumcised to love the Lord and that have had the holy Ghost sheding abroad the love of God into their hearts as all regenerate persons have Deut. 30.6 Rom. 5.5 Is it not apparent that the most of professors are strong and greedy fervent and zealous Lovers of the world and carnal self 2 Tim. 3.2 men shall in the last dayes sayes Paul be lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then God Vers 4. And is it not really so now with the greater number of professors which shews they are in an unregenerate state and condition For were they new Creatures indeed they would love God Jesus Christ and heavenly things as the great and onely objects of their lovely delight choice and complacency All other things would be to them as they were to regenerate Paul namely diâ—â— and dung in comparison of Christ Grace Gospel-obedience Holyness Heaven and heavenly things Phil. 3. 8. How few are there who have or are about the great work of Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts in good earnest which were they â—ew Creatures indeed they would assuredly be much concerned in and busying themselves about as one of their great and indispensible workes and businesses For all regenerate persons are seriously exercising themselves in this work Gall. 5.24 they 〈◊〉 purifying their hearts by faith and perfecting holiness in the fear of God Acts. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 2 Co. 7.1 But so are not the Generality of professors they are strangers if not eneâ—ies to this work They are as was said in 〈◊〉 with them they are their joy and deâ—ight and who will seek and unfainedly endeavour to destroy them they love deilght and take pleasure in These are onely the works of regenerate men 9. How few are there who do unfainedly repent 〈◊〉 their Sins and mourn night and day for their transgressions are in real bitterness of soul and abase Judge and condemn themselves which if they were regenerated they would 〈◊〉 They would humble themselves be ashamed of themselves for uncovering their nakedness and laying open their shame before God and men and they would repent in dust and Ashes withall their hearts and Souls Job 42.5.6 Izek. 36.31 For this is the New Creatures dayly worke Regenerate men have that berefit of Christ his Resurrection and Ascension as well as others namely Repentance Acts 5.31 and that great grant and fruit of the Covenant of Grace and the blood of it Acts 11.18 Heb. 13.20 Repentance unto Life By the power of which they practice Repentance They have it in their hearts and act it in their walkings They mark and observe what they should be and what Errors and mistakes they are guilty of mourn for it and labor to mend them But do the multitude of professors do so no not in the least they cast these things out of all serious Consideration it is a work they loath and wholly neglect It is too low and base business for them to mind or concern 10. How few are there among the multitudes of professors who make it their business to please and honour God to fear and reverence him and to worship him in Spirit and Truth This or these matters would be strong and powerful on their hearts and Souls and they would labour to do it indeed were they regenerated For all regenerate men have it so on their hearts and they do really aim at and endeavour it as was before proved Phill. 3.3 God hath wrought in them that which is well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 and to worship him in Spirit and Truth Joh. 4.23 They are formed by Grace to honour and magnifie God and to make it their work and business Isa 43.21 and are created in Christ Jesus unto this and all other good works Eph. 2.10 They are renewed in knowledge to understand them and with power and will to do them Coll. 3.10 Phil. 2.13 Psal 110.3 But where are such persons to be found among Professors O! how few how this are they sown and how rarely do they appear if compared with others how few have the power of Godliness in comparison of them who take up with the meer forme how few professors are Spiritually minded persons who set their Affections on things above and not on things below Coll. 3.1 2 Rom. 8.5.6 and that have thee Conversation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trade in heaven Phil. 3.20 how few are their who guard and watch themselves and their Souls adversaries and keep their hearts with all diligence or above before all things Pro. 4 23. how few are there who labour and make it their Trade and business to be fruitful in every good worke and dound in the work of the Lord to bear much fruit unto Eternal Life and all that God may be glorified and their own Souls profited and saved by Grace Coll. 1.10 1 Cor. 15. ult Jâ—b 15.8 Rom. 6.22 How few are there who do unfainedly minde and labour to walk sincerely and uprightly with God and before him and to adorn the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Surely very few do and are so indeed Only a little little flock do they and they only are such persons within and walk so without as hath been shewed From which Proofs and Instances we may certainly conclude that there are but a very few a small number of Regenerate persons among the multitudes of professors I have I think said enough for the confirming and clearing of this Truth although I could say much more to and of it were it needful Now then what use and Improvement should we all make of this Truth Surely it is a great Truth and
themselves and not at all to God 14 No man can be made free of the Heavenly City and Spiritual Corporation nor be set at liberty from bondage and thraldome but in and by Regeneration All men are by Nature in bondage to the Devil and Lusts as you heard before but Regeneration is the year or day of Release and Enlargement to imprisoned Souls for then comes Jesus Christ opens the Prison doors and brings out his Prisoners Joh. 8.36 Gal. 5.1.13 until then they lye in the Dungeon of darkness bound hand and foot with Fetters of Iron and shut in under Impenitency Ignorance and Vnbelief and cannot get forth until the Jubilee comes and proclaims Liberty to them Isa 61.1 2. Zach. 2.11 Then are they made Free Citizens of the New Jerusalem and have their Freedom given them to live and Trade in Heaven for heavenly and everlasting Commodities Eph. 2.19 Phil. 3.20 Behold the necessity then of Regeneration 15 No man can be actually and personally justified pardoned and acquitted without Regeneration but are held under the Guilt and Curse of the Law for they must first believe unto Justification of life before they can obtain a discharge and take out an Acquittance under the Hand and Seal of the Holy Ghost Eph. 1.13 Rom. 5.18 but this they cannot do for want of Faith until they are Regenerated and thereby made partakers of this glorious Grace 16 No man can fear God aright namely with a godly filial fear nor indeed can he stand in awe of God and sin not or walk in the fear of God all the day long as commanded Pro. 23.17 Psal 4.4 until they be Regenerated for who can so fear and reverence God until God put it into his heart to do it Jer. 32.39 40. for if they could and had they wherewithal to do it without this Grace of God to what purpose hath God promised to do it himself and declared it to be a choise and singular Gift and Grace of his own giving and working in their hearts I will says God put my fear into their hearts that they may not depart from me and that they may fear me for ever And how can men fear God with a filial or Child-like fear until they are made Children by Regeneration and begotten again by his Word and Spirit 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 Joh. 3.5 17 No man can make the Glory of God his greatest end and aim and really design to please and honour God in his words and deeds without Regeneration therefore it is absolutely necessary We are indispensably bound to make God the chief and great aim and end of all our undertakings and to seek design and endeavour with all possible seriousness and diligence to please honour and exalt him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.23 Pro. 3.9 Col. 1.10 1 Thes 4.1 But this we cannot do until a new Spring of Life and Divine Principles be put into us by Regeneration for we are by Nature wholly selfish are quite swallowed up in sinful carnal self Self is the principle motive and end of all our thoughts words and deeds Self-pleasure profit ease honour and security have only Self in the bottom and top of every Good as well as Evil in Religious as well as Civil works And how can it be otherwise with us the Fountain of our Natures being so miserably corrupted and depraved as it is And it is a truth that the Streams cannot rise higher than the Fountains from whence they come 18 No man can be the object of Gods delight and complacency until he be Regenerated because they have nothing that is lovely and desirable in them Before Regeneration men are hateful vile and abominable in the sight of God as hath been shewed as they are sinners and unwashed It is the Nature and Image of God that is the Object of Gods delight and complacency in men for the God of Holiness cannot look on iniquity he is of purer eyes than to do so Habuk. 1.13 and this Nature and Image we have not until we are Regenerated and made New Creatures by Grace for till then God looks on us as in our blood Ezek. 16. Rom. 3. 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. and stamps his own Nature and Image on us to make us clean pure lovely and delightful in his eyes He beautifies men with his Ornaments that he may take pleasure in and rejoyce with them Zach. 3.17 19 No man can claim a Right unto and Interest in the Covenant and Promises without Regeneration for they are not under neither have they any interest in them whilest they lay in their blood and continue in their state of Enmity against God No man can be interested in the Promises and Covenant of Grace and Life that is not interested in Christ and no man is interested in Christ until he be a New Creature All the Promises are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and they are made ours by virtue of our having of and being in Christ and when we are in Christ all is ours 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. and not till then then we may claim and use them as ours but not till then 20 No man can be in a state of Grace and Life without Regeneration no man can be a holy gracious and good man until he be Regenerated Whatever good things he may have act and do yet he is in a state of sin and death still until he pass under Regeneration He may be washed without yet he is a Swine still he may put on Sheeps cloathing but he is a Wolf still he may be enlightned but is in a state of darkness still and he may believe many Truths and yet be an Vnbeliever still 2 Pet. 2.20.22 Matth. 7.15 Heb. 6.4 Joh. 8.30.44 Acts 8.13.23 But I see I must contract my self lest I run beyond my intentions and therefore shall briefly sum up what I have further to say on this Head that I may presently dismiss it Therefore I say that as we stand in absolute need of Regeneration for the Reasons and Ends already named so likewise for those that follow which I shall but name We cannot take up in God as in our portion satisfaction and only happiness without Regeneration neither can we chuse him for the great and only delight of our Souls without it We cannot have our wills bowed to and swallowed up into the Will of God nor freely chearfully and dutifully yield up our selves to his disposement without Regeneration We cannot rejoyce in Christ Jesus nor in tribulation and bearing the Cross nor yet in doing good and working Righteousness without Regeneration We cannot be dutifully and thankfully patient under and contented with an afflicted state and condition nor demean and carry our selves well in it without Regeneration We cannot be fruitful in every good work nor bear fruit unto Eternal Life without Regeneration We cannot highly esteem and set a due nor a right value on Christ his Person Blood Laws and Grace nor on the great love and kindness of God
and Souls to magnify and honour him Psal 103.1.2 Cant. 5.10 ult They lay a Charge on themselves and command as it were their all to bless and glorify him Now what can you say to this mark Can you say it is so with you do you find it in you and do you experience it indeed or do you not can you say in deed and in Truth that whatever the performance be yet the frame bent choice inclination and disposition of your hearts and endevours of your hands are fully and frequently set and resolved to exalt serve please and magnify the great God and Jesus Christ your Lord and King your Glory and Crown Fifthly The new Creature hath a hungring and thursting desire and earnest longing after Jesus Christ after Interest in and Communion with him after a clearer and more distinct knowledge of him and acquaintance with him and whatsoever is his as his Lawes Promises Blood Graces or what ever else they hear is in him or hath relation to or proceeds from him The new Creature is like Noahs Dove that can rest the sole of its foot only on and in this Ark of the Everlasting Covenant All other Foundations are but broken Reeds and Ropes of Sand to him Christ and the Covenant of Grace the faithfulness and All-sufficiency of God are his only Anchor Holds and Rocky Grounds upon which he can rest himself and on which he casts and roles himself The New Man is the only wise Builder for he chuses the Rock of Ages to Build upon and none else Math. 7.25 Math. 16.18 Phil. 3.7 8. The Foundation which God hath laid in the Covenant of Grace for men to Build themselves their Faith and Hope upon that they desire chuse hunger and seek after and cannot be satisfied without 1 Cor. 3.11 Psal 73.25 26. The Regenerate persons take up in rest build and stay themselves The Lord is my Rock says David Psal 18.2 so says every New Creature the Lord Jesus Christ shall be my only Rock and Foundation my hopes notions self-righteousness good works and performances my self-supposed abilities Professions Priviledges and Reformations shall no more be my Foundations as they have been No but Christ and the Covenant of Grace the Faithfulness and All-sufficiency of God shall be my Foundation and resting Place I will build my self and all my hopes confidences and expectations wholly and altogether on them for they and they only can bare the weight of my Soul and eternal Salvation which I must build upon them But unregenerate men have other bottoms and foundations to rest and build themselves upon they little or nothing at all concern themselves in good earnest with the Foundation God hath laid but form a great many to themselves and build all their confidences hopes and expectations on them and say they are safe and secure no evil shall come to them Math. 7.26 Thus did the foolish Virgins Math. 25.1 and thus did Paul before his Regeneration Phil. 3.6 7. But it was otherwise after his Regeneration then his whole Soul and mind was carried forth to Christ with all possible earnestness and importunity Phil. 3.8 Their thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl now are nothing to them as once they were Micah 6.7 no but now ten thousand of worlds for a sure and certain bottom or foundation to rest and build my poor shaken and tossed Soul upon is the voice and cry of all Regenerate men before they clearly find Christ so as to build upon him and commit all their present and everlasting concerns on him And as they have a hungering and thirsting desire c. after Christ for their foundation to build upon so also to have him in their armes and hearts to have more and clearer knowledg of and intimate acquaintance and communion with him His absence is grievous to them but his presence and favour his smiles and acquaintance is better to them then Life Psal 30.5 Psal 4.6 They greatly desire to see and know their glorious King arrayed with all his Royal Robes approaching and comeing neare unto and opening himselfe unto them to impart the secrets of his Love and Grace unto them and thereby allure and draw them unto himself Psal 63.1.2 Cant. 4. ult Psal 25.14 Sixthly A new Creature hath all holy Spiritual passions and affections The natural man you know hath many natural passions and affections so the new man hath many Spiritual and heavenly passions and affections The naturall man hath many evil and sinful affections and passions and the Spiritual man hath many divine and holy affections and passions I shall name some and but a few of them 1. Love As Regeneration makes men lovely acceptable and desirable to God Men and Angels Ezek. 16. so it makes them exceeding loveing and affectionate men to God and men Before regeneration they are Self-lovers Sin-lovers and World-lovers but by the new Nature and Spirit they have received from Heaven they are no more such but God-lovers Christ-lovers Grace-lovers Duty-lovers and Saint-lovers Now they have new affections for new objects and matters They have operating Affections to and for God They single out God Christ and Holyness they chuse and single out from other objects and things the Grace and Spirit the Laws Promises People and Ordinances of Christ for their Love and to set their strongest warmest and heavenly Affections upon The affections or passion of love in them is stirred Moved Warmed and Enflamed by the Love of God the Grace and Loveliness of Christ that is declared and represented to them in and by the Gospel Oh how doth this passion somtimes work and act in them towards these objects and things It is so full as that they are not able to vent or express it especially when Christ appears to them and puts in his hand as it were by the hole of the door the heart as that they can but sigh and sob cry and weep out a little of this strong and working affection This did Mary Magdalen Luk. 7.38 she stood at his Feet weeping and washed the feet of Christ with her Tears but what was the ground of her so doing see Verse 47. why it was her ardent love and affection to Christ she did so for she loved much namely Christ Oh! what a strong passion of love was she in How did her Affection work towards Christ so likewise did Peters too Joh. 12. Lord saith he thou knowest that I love thee but how much or how strong his love and affection to Christ was he could not express David also gives us another Testimony of it Psal 119.97 Oh! how I Love thy Law and elsewhere sayes he I love them exceedingly I do love them with a greater and more affectionate love than I can express and so was his love moved and drawn out to good men Psal 16.3 2. Hatred These are opposite and contrary passions in men namely Love and Hatred In our unregenerate States we do Love what we should hate
That they may greatly rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God 1 Rom. 5.2 and for that glorious resurrection that is promised To this hope they are called in their Regeneration Eph. 1.18.44 and this is one of the fruits of the spirit in their hearts ever after 5. Joy Joy is another holy passion in good men There is the natural passion of joy in all men and there is the Spiritual passion of joy in Regenerate men There is the object or matter of joy and there is the joy it self and also the faculty or subject of joy The object or matters of joy and rejoycing to good men are Christ Grace and heavenly things Phill. 3.1.3 Phil. 44. Psal 4.4 Psal 32. ult 2 the joy its self which flows forth from these objects or matters of joy into their hearts For experience shews that sometimes the objects of joy are shut up and yield no joy at all to us when we do eye and mind them and would fain draw it out of them but they are like Clouds that give down no rain at all sometimes or as a Fountaine shut up 〈◊〉 sealed Cant. 4.12 But at other times they are opened to us and then the joy of the Lord refreshes and chears strengthens and warmes our Souls This is given us of God the Father Christ and the holy Spirit as a special expression of his Love and Grace to us The objects of joy will not afford it until he give it or command them to hand it out to us Psal 133.3 Rom. 14.17 Rom. 15.13 Gall. 5.22 Joh. 14. Job 15.11 Joh. 6.20 3 There is the faculty or subject of joy that is that which is onely capable of receiving the impressions of the joy of the Lord in the Soul and improving it aright This is that we call the affection or passion of joy and this is given to men namely as it is a Spiritual or new passion in Regeneration For thereby God makes them subjects capable of receiving and rightly embracing valuing and useing the heavenly joy he intends for and hath promised to give unto them in their walking with him in their Regenerate states Now they can and do rejoice in Christ Jesus Phill. 3.3 in his love and Grace and in his will and their duty Rom. 7.22 Psal 40. now they praise God with joyful lips Psal 63.5 and shout for joy of heart Psal 32. ult Now they rejoyce and work righteousness and walk on in their way rejoycing Acts 8.39 Isa 64.5 Their hearts are full of great and unspeakable joy at some seasons so as that their Vessels can now hold no more 1 Pet. 1.8 With this Holy Joy in their hearts they can run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40. ult Neh. 8.10 6. Sorrow This is in a sense a contrary passion or affection to that of Joy There is a natural and carnal sorrow and a holy and spiritual sorrow or grief of heart the first is common to all men the second is only found in Regenerate men Sorrow in a natural sense is an evil but in a spiritual sense it is a good passion Joy and sorrow are strong and vehement working passions in men when strongly imprest and deeply affected with real or supposed evil or good There is a worldly and there is a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 Regeneration brings into and sets up the godly sorrow in men and thereby they are enabled to sorrow after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 This passion is moved and imprest and the acts of godly sorrow are produced by several and these different objects and matters First their own lusts sins and God-provoking abominations their vileness and filthiness and their former contempts of Christ and despising slighting and rejecting his Love Grace Yoke Promises and Kindnesses These and many other evils and the serious thoughts and considerations of them do break and wound their hearts and cause much inward grief anguish and sorrow of heart and make them cry out unclean unclean what shall we do or how shall we appear before the holy and righteous God Acts 2.35 36 37 Acts 16. This causes them to sigh and mourn and erercise revengeful thoughts against themselves and to take indignation of themselves condemn abhor and loath themselves Ezek. 36.31 2 Cor. 7.11 And secondly the serious thoughts and considerations of the God Christ Grace Love and Kindness they have sinned against They see know and lay to heart who they have grieved wounded and dishonoured namely their God who had thoughts of love and peace for them when they were in their blood Ezek. 16. Jer. 29. They hope they had an interest in his heart and that he loved them before they loved God yea when they hated him and would have none of his counsel 1 Joh. 4.19 Pro. 1. They likewise see and consider the great Love and Grace of Christ and what great things he hath done and suffered for them to saâ—â— them from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1. ult The thoughts of the exceeding great patience and long-suffering of God towards them his pittying them and waiting on and for them that he might be gracious to them Isa 30.18 Rom. 2.4 5. Rom. 10. ult his standing at the door and knocking for them to have admission into their hearts Rev. 3.20 and how willing and importunate he was to be at peace and in friendship with them how basely and unworthily they carried themselves towards him and how they turned a deaf ear to his Calls and Invitations and made him wait so long for their acceptance of him even until his Locks were wet with the dew of the right Cant. 5. This works grief and raises great sorrow in their hearts So when they consider how their sins have stabb'd and murdred the Lord Jesus and put him to open shame Heb. 6 6. how they pulled down the wrath and Curse of God on him Gal. 3.12 and how he poured out sighs tears yea his precious Blood and Soul for them Isa 53. and likewise how their sins were imputed to and laid on him and how he was Crucified and killed for them and all to save them and instate them in his own Glory and Eternal Blessedness 2 Cor. 5. ult Joh. 10. Joh. 17. and how ungratefully they have demeaned themselves to him Oh! how doth this work on them how do these things irritate and cause sorrow and bitterness of Soul in them Now they can indeed look on him whom they have pierced and mourn and be in real bitterness of Soul as for their First-born Zach. 12.10 These and many other things which I cannot now mention do greatly melt them and provoke holy Sorrow and Repentance unto Life for as Christ his Love Grace and Sufferings do work on their passion of Joy irritates and provokes it so they do work on and cause much sorrow and grief of heart through the helps of the Spirit likewise The same objects and matters do work savingly and effectually on both namely to