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
in a Regenerate state they are high noble and honourable They were wont to make the Lusts of the flesh of the eye and the pride of life the mark they shot at and the point scope and end of all their projects contrivements and endeavours but Regeneration hath sublimated and heightned their spirits caused them to see and carry on more worthy and glorious designs and ends their hearts are in measure suited to the Commands of God and the end of Christ his Death This the Apostle notably declares 2 Cor. 5.15 and that he died for all that they that live that is that are Regenerated and begotten again to a lively hope should not henceforth live unto themselves but to whom then why to him who died for them and rose again They are now partakers of the Divine Nature and are of a heavenly descent they are the spiritually natural and adopted Sons and Daughters of God the Off-spring and Royal Issue of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore they must needs have aims ends and designs in their eyes and hearts according to their new Nature and Royal Spirits Now their Hearts and Souls are bent and set to live in the Court in the presence of the King to wait on and do homage to him to honour serve and please him to keep his favour and smiles of his countenance to know his pleasure and yield him free and chearful obedience thereunto to inrich themselves with his graces and Spirit and prepare themselves for full and everlasting Communion with himself Now they desire to hold up his Interest and Concerns in the world to inlarge and augment his Kingdom and to have their light so to shine in the world before men as that they may see their good works and be induced to glorifie God Matth. 5.16 These and such like glorious ends and designs are in the New Creatures eye but to live project and contrive to get and keep worldly riches honours pleasures beauty and a great name are things far beneath the Noble and excellent nature and spirit of the New Creature it is of a Christ-like Spirit and Nature and therefore it must of necessity have and design the same ends he doth Their old ends are passed away and new take place 5 New Rules or Laws Regeneration brings into a man and puts him under new Laws Orders and Rules All things are become new Before Regeneration they were ruled and governed by the will of the Flesh the counsels of the Flesh the suggestions of Satan and examples of carnal men and accordingly they walked and steered their course blest themselves in so doing promising peace and felicity to themselves in those ways of their own hearts Isa 66.3 1 Thes 5.3 But Regeneration puts into them and brings them under the Laws and Orders of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom into which they are translated Col. 1.3 The Laws written in the Gospel are by Regeneration written with the Finger of the Holy Ghost in their hearts so that now they have as it were two Bibles or Books of Laws the one in their hand the other in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10 11. Heb. 10.16 By these Laws and Rules they desire chuse and endeavour to walk under them to live and be subject to them and to none else The New Creature knows no other Lord Laws or Law-giver over it's Soul and Conscience but Christ it freely yields up its self to all chearful obedience to all his Laws and accounts it his happiness to walk by his Rules he honours them and is thankful for them These are his Laws upon choice and his obedience to them he esteems as a great priviledge and honour Deut. 4.8 He would not vary from them but have them continually before him in his eye heart and hand he makes them his delights and Councellours and they are the joy and rejoycing of his heart as David and Jeremy experienced When they vary from them or in any thing transgress them they are afflicted and when they conform to them they rejoyce Q. You said before that Regeneration signifies a change of state or a second state pray shew what is meant by a second or new state that Regeneration puts men into Answ I have shewed you already that Regeneration puts men into a new state of life it translates and raises them from spiritual death to spiritual life from darkness to light c. by the infusion of the Spirit Light and Life of Christ And several things have already been discoursed on which may not here be mentioned but shall refer you to what hath been said before Here I shall add secondly that Regeneration transplants men out of the old Adam into the new it takes them from the old stock and grafts them into the new out of the Earthy man and puts them into the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. By Regeneration they are actually put into Christ and Christ into them they are taken out of the Kingdom of Satan and put into the Kingdom of Christ as these Scriptures shew Rom. 8.9 10. 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Cor. 13.5 Col. 1.13 Acts 26.18 Joh. 18.36 Men are first put into Christ by Election they are said to be chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 and that before the Foundation of the World and they were united to Christ in his Incarnation when he took up our Nature into a Personal Union with the Divine but in Regeneration we are fully and compleatly actually and personally united to Christ with our own choise and free consent so that here is a great change indeed Regenerate persons are set into a new and living stock which will yield sufficient sap and nourishment to such grafts I am the Vine says Christ ye are the Branches Joh. 15.5 And hence it is that they bear much fruit unto Eternal Life after Regeneration Joh. 15.5 Joh. 4.36 By Regeneration we are made Subjects of his Kingdom and living Members of his Body 1 Cor. 6.15 Eph. 1. ult Eph. 5.30 They are now of another Kingdom and Corporation of another Root Stock and Body of another Family and Houshold Eph. 2.19 20. Thirdly Regeneration puts men into a state of liberty and freedom In their unregenerate state they are in bondage in prison and slavery to their Lusts Rom. 6.17 to Satan 2 Tim. 2. ult Eph. 2.2 They are also in bondage under the Law and enjoyned to keep every tittle of it on pain of Eternal Death Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.14 They are also by Nature Children of wrath as they are sinners and transgressors of the Law Eph. 2.3 And they are as sinners under the damning Sentence of the Law Joh. 3.18 Moreover the Scripture tells us that all men while in their unregenerate states are Prisoners Isa 61.1 and Prisoners in the Pit Zach. 9.11 This and much more is their misery and bondage thraldom and slavery while in their state of sin but now Regeneration sets them at liberty and freedom Gal. 5.1.13 Christ hath by his
Death purchased their freedom and liberty Tit. 2.14 but it is made theirs by or in Regeneration Then he opens the Prison doors Isa 61.1 turns the Devil out of his Throne Luke 11.21 22. breaks off their bonds and brings them out sets them at liberty and lets them go free and all by virtue of his blood in pursuance of the Covenant Zach. 9.11 Now they are said to be free from sin and become the servants of God Rom. 6.22 and the wicked one toucheth them not 1 Joh. 5.18 In Regeneration Christ leads Captivity captive Eph. 4.8 It is a great real and Everlasting Freedom that men have in Regeneration they shall no more return into Captivity If therefore the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Joh. 8.36 Hence they are ever after Regeneration called the Lords Free-men 1 Cor. 7.22 for by Regeneration they are put into the state of liberty not upon condition or for a time but for ever They are free from the Ruledom of Sin and Satan from the Law of sin and death by the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 By Regeneration they are made free to and for God and Holiness to serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness all their days Rom. 6.22 Luke 1.74 75. So that now they have nothing else to do or mind but how as Free-men to walk worthy of their new state to live unto God and bear fruit to his praise and glory for they are now in a secure state of freedom and liberty and need not fear the loss of it Fourthly By Regeneration we are put into a state of Relation to God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son In our unregenerate states we are the Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 are his subjects and servants and also the servants of sin Rom. 6.17 18. and then we stood in no special Relations to Christ For when we are made free from sin by Regeneration then and not till then we become the Lords servants Rom. 6.22 God is indeed related to us as our Creator and we are related to him as we are his Creatures but this is no special Relation for the Devils are so related to God But Regeneration puts us into several special Relations 1. Into a Conjugal Relation Christ is Married to them and they to him 2 Cor. 11.2 Cant. 2.16 Christ is their Husband and they are his Wife as the Song of Solomon shews 2. God is their Father and they are his Children not as by the first Creation but by Regeneration Joh. 1.12 2 Cor. 6. ult Isa 9 6. Heb. 2. 3. Christ is their Head and they are his Members Eph. 5.30 4. Christ is their Lord and King and they are his Subjects and Servanti Col. 2.6 Rom. 6.16.22 Psal 2.6 5. Christ is their Shepherd and they are his Sheep Joh. 10.11.14.27 6. Christ is their Prophet and they are his Scholars Acts 3.22 23. These are some of the near Relations that Regenerate persons stand in to Christ and they are instated in them by Regeneration for then they are contracted to Christ I have says Paul espoused you to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 namely by the means of his Preaching to them and so they are made Sons and Daughters Gal. 4.5 Fifthly In Regeneration men are put into a state of Righteousness and Justification not that they are Justified by Inherent Grace or because they are Regenerated but that God doth by Regenerating them enable them to take hold of Christ and believe in him unto Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 Rom. 3.22.25 So also for that God doth actually and personally justifie men when he Regenerates and makes them New Creatures Before Regeneration men are in a guilty state they are in an unrighteous and as such in a condemned state and condition but by the means of Regeneration they are enabled to believe receive and apply the Righteousness of Christ unto themselves and they can go to God the Father and take out his Acquittances and promised Discharges Pardons and Acceptance bring home and apply all unto themselves and so God accepts them acquits and forgives them discharges them of and justifies them from and against all Crimes Accusations and Indictments whatsoever and puts them into a Justified state or into a state of Righteousness and Justification upon their believing in him with the Faith given them in and by their Regeneration Rom. 8.33 34. 2 Cor. 5. ult Rom. 3.24.26 1 Cor. 1.30 Sixthly Regeneration puts men into a state of Friendship with God By Nature we are all Enemies to him and God seems to be and to carry himself towards us as an Enemy Rom. 5.10 Isa 63.10 yea we are by Nature worse and more than Enemies for being in Friendship with the World we are at Enmity with God Jam. 4.4 But Regeneration makes a great change for it makes us Friends to God and God carries himself Friendly towards us The old Enmity is turned into a sweet real and comfortable Friendship God carries himself Friendly and as a Cordial and great Friend to us and so do we in measure unto him we have his Heart opened to us in love and kindness and ours are opened unto him in duty love and obedience There is a great kindness familiarity and communication between God and Regenerate persons and they do greatly delight in one anothers company Isa 62.4 Isa 58. ult Pro. 15.8 This Friendship between God and New Creatures is a real not feigned Friendship it is a heart-endearing and Soul-knitting Friendship it is a pleasant and delightful Friendship it is a sure and well-grounded Friendship and it is a constant and perpetual Friendship it is such a knitting and fast Friendship as that neither Sip or Satan can possibly desolve In and ever after Regeneration God calls his New Creatures his Friends Luke 12.4 Joh. 15.13 14. Isa 41.8 Jam. 2.23 and God and them declare themselves true and choice Friends indeed to each other by their love and loving one another at all times which is the property of a true Friend Pro. 17.17 Seventhly and lastly They are by Regeneration put into a state of Grace By Nature men are not only sinful but they are in a state of sin and death they are dead in sin and sold under sin yea they are altogether sin Eph. 2.1 Rom. 3 10-20 As their services to God are so are they they are iniquity Isa 1.13 It is their name character and nature Rom. 5.8 Gal. 2.15 But Regeneration sets men in a state of Grace for although after Regeneration they have much sin and filthiness in them yet their state is accounted and called and it is really a holy state and after Regeneration men are never accounted and called sinners but Saints holy Brethren the People and Children of God and the like for they have their new Names from their new States As the Apostle speaks to the Ephesians Ye are saith he no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens of the Saints Eph. 2.19 so
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 onely necessary things that God requires in them But good men cry watch and pray and do all they can to worship God in Spirit and Truth from their new Natures Root and spring within and the holy Ghost his assistance and without this they cannot be satisfied This is the mark they have in their Eye in all their addresses to God 6 Trusting in and liveing on Christ This is a special and peculiar work and duty which none can do but new Creatures But it is their work and business 2 Cor. 5.7 Heb. 10 38. Râ—â— 1.17 It is a duty that lies with power in their hearts and 't is of great account in their Souls They are commanded to live by faith and make God their onely Trust and in obedience thereunto they do it Isa 26.4 Psal 37.3.5 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal 62.8 They are called to live the life of faith and pure dependance on God for all things and they are furnished with abilities so to do The faith of Christ is written in their hearts and they have a kind of a natural Genious and disposition to it Thus we find Abraham David Paul and other Saints of God had and did It is a Liâ—â— far above and beyond the reach of nature and natural Reason and God works some to and for it by his Grace in Regeneration and presents unto them suitable grounds and objects for their faith to rest and live upon as his bonds or promises his covenant and oath his truth and faithfulness and his all sufficiency and immutability God presents to them his Sâ—â—s blood Death and Resurrection his natures and offices his intercession and potency with God to prevaile for them in Heaven and procure mercies for them and the fulness of Christ as furnished and filled with all Grace for them And upon these grounds and objects they reâ—â— and bear themselves There they fly for Refuge Pro. 18.10 and there and on them they live and wait for all supplies of Grace Phill. 4.19 And that when the Figtree doth 〈◊〉 blossome nor any herds are in the stall Habuck 3.17 18 19. For what ever God hath promised to his people they claim a share in and can trust him to give it to them in his own time and way To instance in some particulars 1 God hath promised to pardon them Isa 55. â— they can and do believe him and rest upon his for it 2 Hath God promised to give Repeâ—tance they can believe and trust him 3 To heal their Back-slidings and love them freely Hoseâ— 14.4 They can believe and trust him 4 To pour out more of the spirit and abundance 〈◊〉 grace Acts. 2. Joh. 10. they can trust him 〈◊〉 Hath God promised to give grace and â—â—y and to supply all their wants Psal 84.11 â—â—on 4.8 and never to leave them nor forsake 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 they can and do believe and â—â—st him 6 Hath God promised to subdue 〈◊〉 Lusts and sanctify their hearts Ezek. 36.25 〈◊〉 Micah 7.18.19 they can and do believe aâ—d trust him 7 Hath God promised to hear â—eir prayers Psal 50.15 Help their infirmitites 〈◊〉 8.26 Accept their offerings Isa 56.7 â—eward their Services 2 Cron. 15.7 and to â—â—ep them by his power through faith unto salvatiâ—â— 1 Pet 1.5 they can and do believe and trust him upon his word They do commit â—eir all to and leave their all with him and are â—â—isfied in their so doing They believe all is â—afe and sure that is entrusted in his hand and glad they are that they have themselves and their all in his custody It is true they have â—heir fits of unbelief and do too often distrust God and in measure let go their Anchor hold but they recover themselves and what they â—ave lost again when the Tempest is over and they are in a Calm It is one of their great works and employments notwithstanding to trust God and live the life of faith and that upon choice and with their whole desire and in the general course of their Lives they are enabled by Grace to reach and live it whateâ—er oppositions are in their way Therefore it is that they are called Believers and Trusters of God by the holy Ghost in Scripture namely because it is their proper Life to which they are called in Regeneration and that which they do choose and endeavour to Live But unregenerate persons do not live this Life at all They have no acquaintance with it neither know they what it means experimentally but onely upon hear-say they are not regenerated and therefore are still in a state of unbelief and impenitency They have no living faith at all neither do they heartily desire it They are called unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Revel 21.8 because they have no special faith to trust God withal and do not live the Life of faith 7 They are called to regenerated for and exercised about all sorts of holy duties and heavenly things They live in Heaven and Trade in Heaven Revel 13 6. Phil. 3 20. In a word their business is to acquaint themselves with their Fathers and Husbands Laws and their dâ—ties and to love and obey them with their promises and the good of them that they may believe them and hope upon them and to suck out the hony and sweetness of them for their consolation and peace and to encourage them in their duty and walking with God and they acquaint themselves with their God and Saviour and the great things of another world These are their good things and they allure and draw their minds and affections to them In them and the contemplation of them do they delight They feel taste and see the Goodness of them and are greatly enamored with them They have their hearts and that causes them so much to converse with them and Trade in them and with them They know it is their duty to live and converse with them because God hath so commanded Coll. 3.1.2.3 and they do it in obedience thereunto But that is not all the Reason of their so doing no but they do it because these things and matters are their Spiritual and everlasting Treasures In them lies all their durable riches honour comfort and happiness They are sweet to their tast and pleasant to the eye and they are the onely Good and Portion of their souls Math. 6.21 Coll. 2.3 They have nothing else to trust to nor any thing besides that can satisfy the wants and craving desires of their Souls For these ends and purposes are they born again and set here in this world and for these ends and purposes are they kept and maintained their hearts have chosen all they love all and their desires and endeavours to go out after to reach them all About them their minds judgments understandings consciences wills affections and their all are busied and imployed and that as in and about their own proper and constant work and business But other men do wholly mind work and imploy themselves in other