sin against God or wrong their own Souls God hath promised to cause men to fear him not so much for his Judgments as for his Mercy and Coâ—dness Hos 3.5 and this fear he put into the Body of Regeneration without which it will be imperfect Seventhly Humility Meekness These Graces if they are two are parts of the New Creature they are the Beauty and Ornament of the New Creature without which it would not be so amiable and lovely as now it is We are by Nature exceeding proud rugged haughty sowre and pievish Creatures but God loves a meek and humble spirit and therefore he Regenerates some with Humility and Meekness and the more men have of these the more lovely they are to God and men the more conformable to Christ who was meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 Christ will have all his Members like himself the Body must be like the Head and Christ becoming their Head in Regeneration he bestows on them his Humility and Meekness which is a part of that fulness of Grace he hath received for his Members Meekness is one of the glorious fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and one of the Graces of Christ Jam. 4.6 By Humility and Meekness Christ prepares and capacitates men for his service and communion with himself to bow and bend them to his holy will and make them obedient unto him in all things for only the Humble and Meek are such persons and walkers Eighthly Zeal Regeneration makes men zealous against sin and for God and godliness Before Regeneration men may have a zeal for God but not the Zeal it is not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 True gospel-Gospel-zeal is a glorious Grace of Christ infused into men in Regeneration and that in pursuance of one of the great ends of Christ his death Tit. 2.14 He gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works Before men are Regenerated they are zealous for their own gain honour pleasure and superstition but Regeneration makes them zealous for God with the Zeal of God As soon as Paul was converted he shewed himself a true and great Zealot indeed for Christ Grace Holiness and the Souls of men It is holy Gospel-zeal that makes men active for God and puts them forward to follow their Light Light in the Head without Zeal in the Heart may fill men with notions of duty but never make them Practitioners of duty they may know the Will of God but they will not they cannot be perswaded to do it 't is true that Zeal without knowledge is not good and as true that knowledge without zeal is unprofitable Christ hath a fulness of zeal for men and in Regeneration he imparts it to them Ninthly Prayer In Regeneration Christ infuses the Grace and Spirit of Prayer as soon as Paul was Regenerated behold he prayeth Acts 9.11 He had often prayed before for he was a zealous Pharisee and concerning the Law he was blameless Phil. 3.6 but he never prayed aright until he was Regenerated for then Christ gave him the grace of Prayer he could then pray with Grace in his heart and then not till then behold he prayeth There are none can pray spiritually but New Creatures for the voice of Nature is the voice of the flesh and what is of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 and that voice God is not pleased with and heareth not but it is the voice of the New Creature which is formed and made up of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that God heareth and delighteth in Pro. 15.8 Therefore God promiseth to give unto men in Regeneration the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. 12.10 that they may thereby be enabled to pray unto God holily and acceptably 1 Pet. 2.5 Rom. 8.26 27. God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. and therefore he spirits them in Regeneration so to do Men may speak great and good words and make plausible and seemingly good prayers from light in their heads and other common spiritual gifts without Regeneration but they are but fleshly cold dead and loathsome prayers because they proceed not from a Divine Root and Spring they are dead their hearts are dead and therefore their prayers must needs be dead prayers which the Living God abhors Isa 1. But now Regeneration opens their hearts and tongues enlivens and quickens them puts a heavenly Principle into them so that now they can speak to God with new tongues and hearts now they can pray in Faith and Hope with spiritual and lively affections and in obedience to the Will of God Tenthly Self-denial Men are by Nature altogether selfish they are wholly devoted to the service of the flesh and set upon fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Eph. 2.3 Rom. 8.5 Phil. 3.19 But God lays in Self-denying grace on their hearts in Regeneration so that now they can deny themselves of their ease pleasures profits opinions relations peace and all their once beloved Interests whatsoever for God Holiness Truth and the welfare of their own Souls They can and that upon choice displease themselves to please God they can willingly be nothing that Christ may be all in all things Col. 3.11 yea they would be the Footstool of Christ to exalt him and set him on the Throne Regeneration makes them account their all too little for him as before they accounted a little too much for Christ This is the great term on which we receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 Luk. 9.23 and by Regeneration he gives them power and will to do it Psal 110.3 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 6.44 45. This Regeneration wrought in Paul Gal. 1.16 I consulted not with flesh and blood says he that is as soon as he was Regenerated Christ sent him to preach the Faith which before he had zealously destroyed vers 23. and that amongst the barbarous Heathens where was much danger and in the doing of which he should meet with many difficulties as he did yet he immediately yielded up himself to the Will of Christ and laid his own in the dust So when Christ called Peter and Andrew they straightway left all and followed him Matth. 4.18 19 20. and after ward Matthew did the like he presently left his gainful Trade at the Custom-House and followed Christ Matth. 9.9 So the Disciples tell Christ Luke 18. that they had left all and followed him and the grace of Self-denial is given to all Regenerate persons in the very moment of their Regeneration Eleventhly Sincerity This is the general grace or that which is the Salt that seasons and makes as it were all other grace good and singular Gospel-sincerity is the holy spiritual Leven that runs through the whole Lump or Body of the graces of Christ given in Regeneration it is not properly one single grace but it is rather the grace of all other graces 't is that which makes
when he proffers you the use and enjoyment of all They are your Priviledges and you need them Christ hath commanded you to observe them all and appointed to nourish comfort and educate your Souls in his Churches and with his Ordinances there Therefore do as the Primitive Converts were wont to do joyn your selves to some Church or Society of Regenerate Christians that there you may be fed with the Bread of Life The doors stand open for you and the Lord Jesus waâ—ts there for you to invite you in and welcom you You need the Lords Supper to strengthen and confirm you and the Communion of Saint 〈◊〉 a Church-state as means to secure and preserve you But I can only mention these things leaving the inlargement of them to your selves 6. If you find any good or profit to your Souls in and by my Ministry and Writing bless God and ascribe all the glory to him for all belongs to him and to him only But forget not to pray for me that I may be enabled by Divine Assistance to fulfil my Ministry and continue to hand out the Gospel of Salvation to you that the Name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified and your Souls profited and that I may be blameless before God and Men. 7. And lastly Continue in the good work and ways you have taken in hand and begun to walk in Have your eyes always to Jesus Christ keep fast hold of him and let your whole dependance be on him In him are all your Springs and it is he that hath the keeping of your Stock of Grace He can and will supply you with all Grace and preserve you unto his Heavenly Kingdom Therefore live upon and stay your selves on him Run your Race and finish your course in his hand and you shall obtain the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls Which that you may do is the prayer and earnest desire of Your Cordial Friend S. F. ETERNAL GLORIFICATION BEGUN IN REGENERATION OR A Discourse of Regeneration From John 3.3 Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Beloved I Shall begin this Lecture which you have desired and are now waiting on with the Doctrin of Regeneration because it is one of the great fundamental and Soul-saving Doctrins that you should first understand and be early and experimentally acquainted withall Here God begun with Ignorant and unregenerate Nicodemus and here he begins to open the door of everlasting Life unto such as he will save and by Regeneration you must begin to seek for and expect Salvation and eternal Glory It is the Lords fixed and constant way to send down and infuse into the hearts of men the first fruits of Heaven in order to his possessing them in the fullness of everlasting Glory in Heaven The seeds of special grace sown in the Soul in Regeneration are the earnests and first fruits of Heavens glory And as it is a certain Truth that without Regeneration here men cannot be saved hereafter so it is as certain that whoever are really Regenerated here they shall be saved hereafter This is a Truth that nearly concerns every one of you and therefore requires your serious attention and consideration for here God will begin to save you if ever you be saved The words in the Text are spoken by Jesus Christ unto Nicodemus as you may read in the 1. 2. verses The subject matter of the Text is or contains Regeneration or the Renovation of men in order to their eternal Salvation and they are spoken to and intended for us as well as Nicodemus because we are all by nature in as had and miserable a condition as he and stand in as much need of Regeneration and the Doctrin thereof as Nicodemus did when Christ spake these words to him and therefore observe how Christ words the matter verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again That is unless thou Nicodemus to whom I do now immediately direct my Doctrin and other persons in thy present case and condition except a man that is thou or any other man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God so vers 5. And it is observable how the Lord Jesus ushers in the matter or Doctrin of Regeneration in the Text and vers 5. t is with a double asseveration verily verily Text and again verily verily 5. vers which informs us of these four things First that the matter of Christ was speaking of was a very great and weighty matter indeed and such as Nicodemus and other men were indispensibly bound on pain of eternal death to take notice of and concern themselves about with all possible diligence and faithfulness for it was for their Lives except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God that is he cannot be saved And therefore he quickens and provokes the minds of men to ponder the matter and lay it to heart by his verily and verily I say c. 2. That we are dull of hearing and slow of heart to believe and apply this great Doctrin to our own Souls but to imagin and fancy that we stand in no or very little need of it and therefore may overlook slight and neglect it as most men do 3. That the Lord Jesus is very serious hearty and earnest with men in perswading them to seek after Regeneration and that he doth really and unfainedly desire to see them serious in that so great concern of theirs and to labour after it to purpose 4. That there is such a thing as Regeneration and that men may be Regenerated if they will not slight and oppose it These and other such things were in the eye and heart of Christ towards men in speaking thus to them which he would have them believe and think on in his verilies I shall have occasion in my proceedures to speak further to this Text and therefore shall speak no more of it now but proceed to what I intend to commend to your serious considerations These are the most material heads I am to discourse on which I shall do by way of Question and Answer Quest What is Regeneration wherein does it consist or what does it contain or import Answ Regeneration is a special powerful and saving work of God on a sinner changing and renewing his whole man by infusing a measure of the Spirit and special grace of Christ into him through the Ministry of the Gospel and that for holy and gracious ends and purposes This is the best definition I can give you of Regeneration and I think it will serve and do well enough if rightly understood and improved by you If any material thing be found wanting it may be afterward supplied I shall take abroad the parts of the definition and briefly clear and prove it and then proceed First You have the Author and Worker of Regeneration that is God God is the
it may be said and that truly of all Regenerate persons that they are no more sinners although they sin but holy and beloved Col. 3.12 It is and may be called a state of Grace on many accounts I 'le name a few and so dismiss this Head 1. Because they are ingrafted into Christ who is their Root Revel 22.16 the Stock and Vine in whom they are set by Regeneration Job 15.2.5 2. Because they are in favour with God he loves the New Creature with the love of complacency and delight because it is his very Image and Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Col. 3.10 and he hath great favour and kindness for them as such Tit. 3.4 5. 3. Because they are under the Conduct and Power of Grace For as before sin reigned unto death in and over them so now the Grace of Christ reigns through righteousness unto Eternal Life Rom. 5. ult 4. Because of their Relation to God They were the Children of the Devil but now the Children of God So their new Relation puts them into a new State 5. Because of their work and service their work was to serve sin Rom. 6. but now to serve God It is now their only work and business to live unto God in all sincere Gospel-obedience Holiness is their Aim Trade and Principle 't is stated in their hearts moulded and framed there and expressed in their endeavours 6. Because they are in an abiding and lasting state it is not transient but their Regeneration shall be perfected in Glorification Phil. 1 6. Rom. 8.30 Thus you have heard what Regeneration is I have opened it as plainly as I can unto you that you may understand it and make a judgment of your own states whether you are indeed in a Regenerate state and condition CHAP. II. Shewing the absolute necessity of Regeneration Q. IS there an absolute necessity of Regeneration Answ Yea there is an absolute necessity of it We have it from the Mouth of Christ himself in the Text and verse 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And again Verily verily I say unto you except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And in vers 7. Marvel not that I said unto you you must be born again And this great Truth is confirmed as by the so often repeating and reiterating of it so likewise by no less than four Verities or Asseverations So that you see there is an absolute necessity of it But I shall not leave it so but further prove and demonstrate this great Truth that so much and so nearly concerns us all by shewing 1. The necessity of it from the ends and uses for which men were created and are regenerated 2. From the utter inability and incapacity they are in to obtain or prosecute those holy Ends of God whilest in their unregenerate states First let us enquire into the ends and uses of Gods Creations his first and second Creating work 1. Here. 2. Hereafter 1 God created Man in his own Image Gen. 1.26 27. He was pleased to make us glorious and excellent Creatures indeed God made man upright Eccl. 7.29 he stampt the impressions of his own Wisdom Knowledge Holiness and Righteousness on us he made us capable of knowing trusting loving pleasing and enjoying him for ever God Created us with pure and unspotted Natures with free and holy dispositions and inclinations with all abilities of will and power to will and do that which was good and pleasing in his sight and as such he delighted in us and was refreshed in our Communion with him Gen. 1.31 God looked on this Noble Piece of his Workmanship and tells us it was very good not only good as his other works were said to be Gen. 1.18.21 but saith God they are very good Hence it is that they are said to be Crown'd with Glory and Honour Psal 8.4 5. Now in allusion and conformity to this his first Creating of Man the Gospel informs us is his work in recreating or regenerating him They are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.24 Sanctified to the Lords use and made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Thus the second Greation or Regeneration answers to the first is commensurate to it although in some things afterward to be spoken of it exceeds it and is the same with it in kind and degree in likeness and reality Secondly The ends of both these Creations are the same namely to glorifie God and enjoy him for ever Isa 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise 2 Cor. 5.15 That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatever ye do do all to the glory of God And as to glorifie him by living to him so also to live with him and enjoy him for ever 1 Thes 4.17 Joh. 17.24 2 Cor. 5 1-6 But more particularly 1 They were at first created in the Image of God to hold forth the great and distinguishing goodness of God to them beyond what it was to other Creatures for the Excellency and Glory of their Make and Nature their state and capacity loudly proclaims the Wisdom Power Soveraignty and Goodness of God to them All Creatures were as Clay in the hand of the Potter in his Eye and Hand to make and form of it what manner of Creatures he pleased But he was pleased to make and form Man of the dust of the ground put a reasonable Soul into him and stamp his own Image of Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness upon him that in this state and condition he might commend and shew forth the transcendent and glorious Excellency of the Maker Thus Man is said to be the Image and Glory of God 1 Cor. 11.7 so in Regeneration God declares and holds forth his distinguishing Love Wisdom Power and Soveraign Grace his Holiness and Righteousness by restoring them to their Primitive state and restamping his Image upon them after they had wickedly and shamefully defaced and utterly marr'd it by their own wicked inventions Eccl. 7. ult and that when they were his vile and hateful Enemies Rom. 5.10 By this work of God on them whom he Regenerates he holds forth his Soveraign Attributes especially his Soveraign Love and Power distinguishing Goodness and the exceeding riches of his Grace Eph. 2.4 5. Rom. 9.23 24. Rom. 11.33 Eph. 1.19 20. This is one of the glorious ends of God in Regenerating men 2 That they might trust in and live upon him This is a homage which all reasonable Creatures do owe to their Soveraign Creator namely to trust him with the keeping of themselves commit all to him and relye upon him for all things 1 Pet. 4. ult It was one of the Natural Laws that was concreated with them and put into their hearts in their first make
God That we are translated from Death to Life and hereby know we that we are in him 1 John 2.5.3.14.5.19 And Paul tells us that they namely he and other Regenerate Persons had received the Spirit that they might know the things which were freely given to them of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now if it was certainly known by the Saints of old such as run their Race before us then we may obtain it now for we live under the same God Christ Grace Promises Love Spirit and means of assurance that they did and we have as much need of it as they had upon all accounts And as we have these and many other Scripture Evidences or Examples I mean the Saints mentioned in Scripture so we have had many undoubted Testimonies of it in and from many good men in our days and the latter Ages before us How that some on their Death-Beds others in the days of their prosperity others in their tryals and temptations Some in one Ordinance of God and some in another some in Prison and some at the Stake some under the loss of their Goods and Reproaches for Christs sake have gotten clear and heart ravishing Assurance of their Regeneration and blessed States I say we have this Truth confirmed to us by their worthy Testimonies and glorious Experiences And assuredly what they had we also may obtain in the same way in and by the use of the same means and in the same or like case and condition 2. God hath commanded Regenerate Persons and so hath made it their Duty to get and keep assurance of their new States and God would never have prescribed such a means and commanded our diligent use of it as our duty in order to the obtainment of the end but that the said end is attainable by and shall most certainly be obtained in the faithful constant use of it For as his commands makes the work or means our duty so the End propounded namely of the duty to be done by us is the obtainment of assurance so I say it is an object of our Faith and Hope And upon Gods propounding it to us as the end of the duty commended we are to believe and hope in the performance of the duty to obtain the end that is assurance of our being translated from Death to Life namely that God will bless his own means to effect and accomplish his own ends to and in us and he will by no means disappoint us or make us ashamed of our trusting him hoping in and waiting for him to grant us the end he presented to us commanded us to seek it that we might find it and which we have endeavoured with all our hearts to obtain in his own way Isa 49.20 Isa 54.4 Now God hath charged us to examin and prove our selves 2 Cor. 13.5 And to give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And to worship him in full assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 that is in the certain perswasion of Gods Truth All-sufficiency and Faithfulness in his Promises and of Christ his being a High-Priest over the House of God vers 21. So likewise of our Interest and Right to and in all 4. God hath given us many Rules and Marks in his Word to help us in our Tryals of our states and to make a comfortable and satisfactory judgment of them whether we are indeed Regenerate or no. Very much of the New Testament was written for that end that we might know we have Eternal Life saith John 1 Joh. 5.13 All which Scripture had been to little or no purpose if assurance after all were not attainable But it is evident that it is attainable and that all Regenerate persons may attain unto and obtain it because God hath given them such proper and suitable means and helps for the obtainment of it There are many of them scattered up and down the Scriptures I 'le name one or two that in 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren that is here is a certain and infallible sign or mark of a New Creature his loving of good men that is if you can really say and soundly experience that you do love a holy man or gracious men as such rightly truly heartily with a spiritual and special love because they are such and belong to Christ why then you may conclude that you are in a state of Grace and passed from death to life So that if I can make good the lesser Proposition the Gospel will prove and make good the first or greater Proposition thus He that loves the Brethren that is rightly and in a true Gospel sense is passed from death to life but I do so love the Brethren therefore I am passed from death to life Now that which we have to do in the case is this namely to get the clear proof of the second part thus I do know that I do so love the Brethren according to the true purport and meaning of that and other Texts of Scripture and then conclude from this Scripture and others of the like import that I am passed from death to life that is I am Regenerated 2. An other sign or mark of Regenerate men laid down in Scripture is this that they desire the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 Now if I am a Babe in Christ I do desire the sincere Milk of the Word of God that I may not only eat it but eat it to grow thereby to grow up in Christ Grace and in the practise and fruits of holiness and if I do so desire the sincere Milk of the Word then I am at least a Babe or young Child of God But this is not my work or present design and therefore do but little more than mention these things namely to shew that Unregenerate and Regenerate persons may know the states and conditions wherein they are the one in and by sin the other in and by Grace But I thought good to say a little of it and but a little as a preparative to that which I have further to say and which was mainly intended as the subject matter of this Chapter Q. What are some of the most certain Signs Characters or Marks of Regenerate and Vnregenerate persons or states A. Much hath been said already in opening the work of Regeneration what it was and what was contained in it as you may see in that Chapter and therefore I shall say the less here But yet I shall endeavour to present so much unto you in this Chapter or Head as shall fully answer and resolve the Question First A Regenerate person hath new life It is a New Creature Gal. 6.15 and it is a living lively Creature it is not born dead but alive it is alive to God to live unto him in newness of life Rom. 6.4.10.11 To bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 And men are created in Christ Jesus unto
that which doth very much and nearly concern us all and every one 1. Such as are Regenerated and have sufficient proof of it that they are so indeed why they should consider and lay to heart their great priviledge and singular happiness in their Regeneration and that Exceeding great love and Grace of God that have been put forth and expended on them to make them new Creatures and they â—ould labour to walk worthy of so high a calling to which they are called in and by their Regeneration And declare that they are in Truth a Choice and a peculiar people 2. This Truth should be considered and laid to heart by all sorts of professors to cause them to fear and tremble and to look with all seriousness and diligence into their states and Souls Concernments To search and try the bottomes they build upon and see indeed if they will hold and stand them in stead in the great day of Gods tryal which tryal they must pass under and come to That they may no more delude themselves and say they shall have peace while they continue Regenerate and in a State of sin and death The most of professors are willingly Ignorant of their own conditions and of what is likely to be their future State If there are but few Regenerate men among professors and they are such a people as was proved then the most of you may conclude that you are unregenerate because you are not indeed such a people CHAP. VI. Of the Priviledges and Happiness of Regenerate Men. Q. WHat are the singular priviledges and peculiar happinesses of regenerate persons For if they differ so much in their frames of â—eart carriages and walkings in their principles and endeavours from other men that are not regenerated then surely they have some special priviledges and blessednesses beyond other men shew us therefore what they are that we may know them Ans Regenerat persons are possessed of have right unto and Interest in many and singular Priviledges and happinesses is most certain And indeed they are the only priviledged and happy men and women in the world Others have not neither can or may they claim any at all whilst they continue in their Unregenerate states Regenerate persons have all the Spiritual Divine and Heavenly priviledges given and granted to them and likewise eternal happiness but the truth is others have none at all For they are not neither will they be included in the great Charter in and by which new creatures do receive and hold their priviledges They will not be of nor come into the holy and Spiritual Corporation of regenerate men neither will they own value and accept their priviledges in the way that the great Lord and King hath appointed and commanded But all are regenerate persons right and due All such the Apostle is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 Some of them I shall present unto you to comfort and incourage you in your walking with God unto all well-pleasing as now you are bound to do 1. You that are Regenerated must call and account all whatever was said of you before namely wherein you are by Grace made to differ from othermen your priviledges for they are great and real priviledges indeed For is not your change of state or your Regeneration by special Grace a great and glorious Priviledge Is it not an exceeding great priviledge to be renewed in knowledg after the image of God Col. 3.10 And to be created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Eph. 2.10 To be hoâ—n again of incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 and be made partakers of the divine or heavenly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Surely it is Oh! my bretheren is it not an inestimable priviledge to be made Child en of light who were Children of darkness 1 Pet. 2.9 And to be made the Children of God who were the Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 Is it nor a great priviledge to have the Love of God shed abroad into your hearts and been abled thereby to love God with all your hearts as commanded Math. 22.37 Is it not a great priviledge to have new and Spiritual Senses Passions or Affections and to be quickned and raised from death to life as you are Is it not a great priviledge to be called too and imployed in and about Spiritual and heavenly workes and that with Spirits Frames and Dispositions suited to them why all these and many others as you heard before are yours and so you ought to look upon and esteem them to rejoice in and bless God for them 2. By Regeneration you are made Free-men You are now no more Bond-men but the Lords Free-men Gal. 5.1 You are no more strangers and Forreigners no what are you then why you are by Christ in your Regeneration made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 2.19 The Lord Jesus hath made you Free of his Spiritual and Heavenly City and Corporation and therefore you are free indeed Joh. 8.36 hence the Apostle tells regenerate Servants that they are the Lords Freemen 1 Cor. 7.22 though they were the servants of men And he further assures such that they are of the free Jerusalem and Children of the free Woman Gal. 4.36 ult Here I shall briefly shew you what your freedome and liberty is 1. what you are freed from 2. what freed for or to 1. You are freed from the dominion and ruledome of Sin you were before your Regeneration the Servants of Sin and in subjection to your Lust But now you are fully delivered from the dominion of that Lord by Christ in your Regeneration Rom. 6.14 17 18 19 20 22. your sin and lusts may now disturb and afflict you and they may and will distract and trouble you They will assault and delude you and they will dwell in you and pursue you obstruct and hinder you of and in your good works and duties yea pollute and defile them But now for your comfort that they shall no more reign over you rule and command you as they did for you are called out and off from their dominion 2. You are freed from the devils yoke and ruledome He was your Prince and your God and ruled in and over you 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2.2 although you knew it not then for the Scripture saith that the Devil had blinded the mindes of such as did not believe which you did not until you were Regenerated lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them You were his Servants and that with your own consents ye are of your Father the Devil says Christ and his lusts ye will do Joh. 8 44. That is you were not forced and constrained by him to it but you did obey and serve him as Volunteers willingly and chearfully his lusts ye will do All men by nature are dilivered over by the great God into the Devils hand not absolutely so for God still keeps his dominion over his Creatures but as a Judge delivers up a Rebel unto