moulded into us and we into it Imbred not by the first Nature but by the second we are created in Christ Jesus to good works and so his workmanship Ephes 2.10 And if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature And nothing which is lesse then this will be sufficient for us This may be discovered in us and to us according to the several workings of this new Creature in us If we be born in Sion we shall understand the language of Sion we shall speak the phrase of it we shall agree with the diet of it as new born babes we shall desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow therely Ex eisdem principiis nutrimur è quibus constamus those Truths which are most spiritual in this case will be most acceptable unto us A twofold Discovery There are two senses in Nature which we call senses of Necessity as such which are absolutely required to the Being of a living Creature And there are the same proportionably in Grace and required to the Being of a Christian Tactus Custus A spiritual Touch and a spiritual Taste a tendernesse of spirit and a savourinesse of spirit what we feel and what we relish And accordingly may we from hence judge of the work of Regeneration in us 1. By a spiritual Touch. First by our spiritual Touch in that tendernesse of conscience which is in us Where there 's life there will be sense and so here A twofold Tendernesse There 's a double tendernesse antecedent and consequent antecedent to keep us from evill and consequent to check us for it And both these necessary to a Christian 1. Antecedent First for that which is Antecedent a Christian has a tendernesse here to restrain him and keep him in from whence he cannot do every thing which another can do or which his Nature inclines him to And that upon principles of Judgement and right information A scrupulous Conscience is not alwaies a tender Conscience nor a tender Conscience a scrupulous The one oftentimes proceeds from weaknesse of Judgement The other from strength of Grace and the principles of spiritual life in us which therefore we cannot be without and in the mean time be true Christians Those which have a wide swallow and can down with any thing indefinitely without any chawing they have cause to suspect themselves as that all is not right with them as to the work of Grace in them 2. Consequent Secondly There 's a Consequent or Subsequent Tendernesse from whence Conscience checks for evill this is also a very good character when the soul that is guilty of sin is presently troubled for it and troubled with it and that though never so small nor never so secret and that not only from natural conscience but from a work of the spirit This is that which we may observe oftentimes in divers of the Saints in Scripture As David for example he was a man of a tender spirit and his Heart it presently smote him for any thing which was amisse in him so will ours doe likewise if we be of the same spirit with him There will be in us upon any miscarriage which is discern'd by us Singultus Cordis an upbraiding or rising of Heart as it is termed by Abigail in 2 Sam. 25.31 And the more Gracious still the more quick and apprehensive in this particular Look as it is in the Body the finest constitutions are most sensible of a distemper so in the soul are the most spiritual Christians most sensible of an infirmity in themselves 2. A spiritual Taste But secondly As there 's a discovery of us from our spiritual Touch so likewise from our spiritual Taste we may see what we are by this Creatures which have life they have a relish to distinguish of what is good for them from what is hurtfull and offensive and so it is in the new creature A double Taste A true Christian he has his palat rightly qualified in him and that to a double purpose First to distinguish Truth from Error and secondly to distinguish solid meat from Trash 1. Of Truth from Error First Truth from Error A gracious heart will distinguish this especially such truths as are material and of the substance of Religion the more there is of true Grace there will be a closing with true Doctrine If any man do the will of him that sent me he shall know of the Doctrine which I teach whether it be of God or no sayes our blessed Saviour Joh. 7.17 There are principles in the Conscience answerable to Doctrines in the word and these agree one with the other like two Indentures and disagree there where they are contrary Those which are for all kinde of Tenents are commonly for all kinde of practises and a latitude of judgement hath a latitude of conversation with it 2. Of solid meat from trash Secondly There 's a discerning likewise of solid meat from trash Kickshawes and slight provisions will not satisfie hungry stomachs no more will fancies and speculations and wordings and quirks of wit hungry souls Those which have the true spiritual appetite and taste in them they will relish as nothing but truth so nothing neither but substantial food The words of Faith and good Doctrine which they are nourisht up in 1 Tim. 4.6 And the words of Truth and sobernesse Act. 26.25 These and the like accomplishments with them are the discoveries of this spiritual life and birth whereof we now speak The Exhortation renewed And therefore to renew the Exhortation let us consider how far we do indeed partake of them There are many which are exceedingly mistaken in this businesse who take Civility for Christianity and Morality for true Piety and some common work of the Spirit for the work of saving Grace and spirituall Regeneration which are but half converted Christians Not far from the Kingdome of God and yet likely never to come thither according to the state and condition in which at present they are But Embryoes and Abortives in Religion nay scarce so much as that as Agrippa almost perswaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a miserable thing and so much the more miserable as for the most part they please themselves in it We bewail Molas and false conceptions in Nature and what is it then to have them in Grace and in Spirituals as many men have Grounds of self-deceit There are divers Grounds and occasions of this self-deceit Some there are that judge of themselves according as others judge of them Because they are well thought of abroad and are cryed up in the world have the opinion and good esteem of such and such godly Christians and of such and such godly Ministers which are willing to make the best of a little and to incourage some small appearances of good in them that so they may draw them on to more therefore they think the work of Grace is
argues to the beleeving Hebrewes Heb. 10.34 and so of the rest Ye have an Unction from the holy one and ye know all things sayes the Apostle John 1 Joh. 2.29 And again the anointing which ye have received of him teacheth you c. and it is Truth and is no lie what 's this Unction and Anointing Even Regeneration and the sanctifying work of the Spirit the work of the new creature in them this abiding in them it taught them c. And this by the way gives us an account of the contrary Errors and false Doctrines and opinions which are abroad in the world why there are so many strange Tenents and conclusions which are broach'd and divulged not only in lighter matters and such as are of smaller concernment wherein every one hath liberty to abound in his own sense so he disturbs not the common peace of the Church but in the very substantials and fundamentals of Religion the truth of it plainly is this because there is so great a defect as to the work of Grace Therefore we have so many Hereticks because we have so many Hypocrites if men had better hearts they would have better heads and if they were better Christians they would be better Divines But because they fail in the one therefore they prove defective in the other That man that has a gracious spirit he cannot easily have a corrupt Judgement in those things which are of the Essence of godlinesse because his experience will set him right and prevent such corruptions in him Indeed it does not hold reciprocally and è converso A man may be orthodox in his judgement and yet but barren in his heart as not receiving the Truth in the love of it But he cannot be savoury in his spirit and rotten and unfound in his Judgement in a spiritual Truth at least so as long to abide and continue in it what ever he may for a fit and in a Temptation be subject unto as in any vice or enormity of practise yet to abide in it that he will not no more then he will in the other No if he be right in Affection he will accordingly be right in Opinion and if he be not he will not but then he will recover himself again These distempers they lye not in the Brain so much as in the Heart in the Heart originally and in the Brain only symptomatically By sympathy and complication you know as concernes the workings of the soul in a natural way there may be sometimes strange fancies and conceits arising from some lighter melancholy and distemper of body But where there are contradictions of reason and common sense it argues laesa principia some distraction or phrenetical humour Even so here in these spiritual improvements men may perchance erre in lighter matters through ignorance or non-attendency but to erre in fundamentals is an argument of some substantiall defect as to the work of Grace it self There are two Reasons especially why those which are of false hearts should be of false judgements in Religion The one is direct and immediate from the nature of the thing it self as the effect flowing from its proper and univocall cause And the other occasional and consequential as proceeding from the just Judgement of God who because they receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therfore sends them strong delusions that they should believe lies And thus ye see as an improvement of this point what great cause we every one have to make this work sure to our selves That we are indeed such persons as in this sense are born in Sion Now further where we prove to be so we have great cause likewise to acknowledge it and to blesse and praise God for it and the opportunities of it as who hath pleased to deal so graciously with us as herein he hath done When all 's done this is the great mercy of all and there 's none like unto it It is the original and fundamental Mercy and which layes the ground for all the rest Look as it is in the world all the consequent comforts of it they depend upon our Birth into it If we be stifled in the Birth there 's a period to all our worldly expectations or the hopes of our Parents for us Even so it is also in Religion as to the comforts and accommodations of that If we be not regenerate and born again there 's no hope for us at all If we be so we are then made for ever This Regeneration it brings in many other comforts with it Ability to serve God Benefit of the Ordinances improvement of all passages of Providence the peace of conscience and joy of the Holy Ghost and Heaven and salvation at last If we have any of these consequent priviledges belonging to us as Christians it does depend upon this primitive mercy that we are the children of God adopted and regenerated by Him Therefore let us blesse God for this above any thing else and for all the means which have been tending and conducing to this gracious work in us Let us think our selves so far born in Sion not only as we are born in it locally within the pales of the visible Church which I spake of before but also as we are born in it mystically that is as Members of the Church which is invisible and have the true and genuine work of saving Grace wrought in our hearts This is to be born in Sion and this is to be born in London indeed to be born in it thus They are not only born in London which are born within the Wals and Suburbs and Liberties within the Freedome and compasse of the City and here breath their first natural Breath No but which being born abroad though in remote and forein Countreys and Nations are here partakers of the Efficacy of the Ordinances and of the Power of the Gospel upon their hearts And they have cause for ever to bless God for such a mercy vouchsafed unto them these are the priviledges of the City indeed more then any thing else Whosoever he be that God has been pleased to make this City in which we now are to be an occasion of his Regeneration and Conversion to himself This City is the true place of his Nativity though the place of his Birth into the world were perhaps many hundred miles off though in Italy in Turky in India though in the farthest and remotest places of all the earth I will make mention of Rahab Babylon among them that know me They which were born at the lands end they were born in the very Heart of the City if it was thus with them This to the praise of Gods grace and to their own everlasting comfort is and still will be the condition of many an one at this time and in this very place There 's many a poor youth which comes up hither to the City from the furthest parts of the Nation and from the blindest
be reckoned and esteemed of by Him which is more then if all the world besides had us in estimation The Lord He viewes and looks ever the whole City takes notice of every Company Congregation Family Person in it and he pleases Himself in the thoughts of them as they are any thing more serviceable to Him There 's such an one mourning and weeping in secret for the publick abominations I le set my mark upon him There 's such an one active and zealous for the truth and the cause of Religion I le set my seal upon him There 's such an one full of bounty and liberality to my poor Saints I know where to finde out him as I have occasion to make use of him Look as some Prince or Magistrate that has occasion for the supplies of money he knowes all the rich Men in the City and for a shift can single them out one by one there lives such an one worth so many thousands and there lives another worth as many and so of the rest Even so it is with God here as concerning his people He does mark them and set them out to himself and makes account of them and reckons of his Church as so much the richer and better for them A double Adjunct And he does it with a double adjunct or concomitancy which is here considerable in it first of Expectation from them And secondly of Resolution for them Of Expectation from them This man was born there therefore I look for so much service and duty at his hands Of Resolution for them This man was born there therefore accordingly Ile be the more tender and regardful of him 1. Expectation First of Expectation from them The better any are or may be the more does God look for from them according to their Abilities and according to their opportunities And so here That man which was born in Sion he has had more Grace bestowed upon him whereby he might be inabled to Good and he has had more Mercy shewn unto him from whence he might be incouraged to Good and therefore is so much the greater good expected to be done by him 2. Resolution Secondly There 's here also considerable in this Account betwixt God and his people His Resolution for them and that singular Affection which he seems to bear unto them The Lord shall count when he writes up the people that this man was born there Selah Therefore I must make another reckoning of him then of some ordinary person There are distinguishing Mercies and Priviledges which God reserves for his children and servants which every one is not partaker of and that upon this account even because they are his children as in Mal. 3.17 There was this followed upon the Book of Remembrance And they shall be Mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that Day when I shall make up my Jewels Mine not only as to interest as having relation to me but mine also as to successe and as receiving protection from me as it followes afterwards in the vers And I will spare them as a man spaneth his own son that serveth him God counts Himself in a manner concern'd to do somewhat more for his people then for the ordinary rank and rout of the world for those which are born in Sion at least in the Mystical acception which are regenerate and born again above those which are born in any other place besides And accordingly may those which are so expect it from him He does not altogether neglect them for he writes up the people He does not forget them for when he writes up the rest of the people he takes notice of them more especially nor he does not suffer others to forget them neither but does register them and put them upon record to all Generations and as he establishes Sion it self so establishes likewise the memorial of all such as are born in it The Lord will count when he writes up the people That this Man was born there That 's the second Branch of this second General to wit the Celebration of the priviledge on Gods part by way of Record and so I have done with the whole Text it self The Application of the Text to the occasion BUt yet I have not done with You which are my proper Hearers this Day I have a word or two farther to you and so I have done To you which were born within the limits of this honourable City The blessed Apostle St. Paul wisht himself sometime to be Anathema Rom 9.3 i. e. Accurst or separate from Christ for his Countreymen whom he cals his Brethren and kinsmen according to the Flesh Indeed that was a very high strain of affection and such as it is more then every one is able to reach so perhaps more then every one is bound to perform I will not therefore presume to promise so much for my self But this I will be bold to say in his words in another place in the following chapt Brethren it is my hearts desire and prayer to God Rom. 10.1 for LONDON that they might be saved and I should count it a great favour from God to me if I might let fall any thing at this time tending and conducing thereunto I must confess I may seem to be under a common disadvantage in this regard as our blessed Saviour was before me who complains He could do no great good amongst his own people He came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 and so laies down a General observation to this purpose That a Prophet is not without honour saving in his own Countrey and in his Fathers House Mat. 13.57,58 It is the great unhappinesse oftentimes of us which are Ministers to have least acceptance there where we have most cause to expect it and to have greatest discouragement there where we have least cause to receive it But you have taken this off from me at this present time as I may say by the contrary extreme in your call and invitation to this work especially having so much better choice as you elsewhere had amongst so many of my Reverend Brethren But then hereby as you have put me in hope of doing some good amongst you so you have likewise ingaged your selves to attend to what is spoken by me I shall reduce it to two Heads even the two parts of the Text viz. The Priviledge and Celebration of it First As to the Priviledge that ye be carefull to look to this and to see that you are interested in it that is born in Sion according to the sense now explain'd Not only Professors and Protestants at large but regenerate and true Beleevers who have the seed of God remaining in you and are made partakers of his sanctifying Spirit 1. Real Christians This is one thing and the first which we here in this City have cause to be admonisht of To be sure that we be reall Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉