thus viz. That the first step in Regeneration is from a sinful State and Nature to Christ. Or thus Regeneration is the Implantation of the Soul into Christ. Or thus Saving Conversion in the right Gospel-Notion of it is Conversion to Christ 'T is true a turning from Sin to Holiness is the effect or consequent of Regeneration but 't is not the thing it self the Tree must be made good before it can bring forth good Fruit so that Regeneration lies chiefly in our incorporation into Christ till we are joined to the second Adam we are and shall be acted by that corrupt nature which we derived from the First Adam There were but two publick men in the World and all men do take after one or other of them either after the First Adam or after the Second Adam they are the two Great Standards I will shew that this is the right Scriptural Notion of Regeneration and Conversion to this end is Christ Preached 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. No other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved Acts 4. 12. This Name must be published Acts 9. 15. Regeneration or our first Conversion what is it but a revealing Christ in us Gal. 1. 16. Drawing unto Christ Iohn 6. 44. Receiving Christ Iohn 1. 11. Following Christ Matt. 9. 9. 'T was Christ they came over to in Conversion hence those Phrases of our being in Christ and Christ's being in us living in us Gal. 2. 20. Formed in us Gal. 4. 19. Put on by us Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 13. 4. Thus you see how the New Creature or the Regenerate Person has his Life Being and whole Subsistence in and from Christ. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature We are taken up so much with Duties of Evangelical Obedience that we commit a great error in our first step do not go over to Christ and begin there thence it is that the Saints are called Christians because their Original is from Christ they bear his Image are acted by his Spirit partake of his Nature If this new Life be from Christ what is the way of its derivation from Christ unto us or how comes this Virtue from Christ into our Souls that both our state and nature should be thus changed in him and by him in order to newness of Life in our after Conversation You must give me leave often to put Questions why and how and which way because I am now enquiring after the Manner of Regeneration If you ask How Life comes to be derived from Christ into the Soul of a dead Sinner Answer I say this is effected by our vital union to Christ. We need not wonder that such a change is wrought in those who are thus joined to the Lord in one and the same Spirit we cannot come so near to Eternal Life it self and not be quickned by it we cannot remain dead when we thus enter into Life it self The main Query is How this Union is brought about between Christ and our Souls Answer The Spirit takes hold of us and joins us to Christ working Faith in us at the same instant by which we take hold of Christ improving the Grace of Union to a real Communion with Christ we dwelling in him and he in us 'T is union to Christ that gives Life at first and maintains it ever after in our souls We have our first quickning from this Union and all after increases of Spiritual Life are but so many fresh emanations from Christ the Fountain of Life flowing into our Souls Thus we have Life and have it more abundantly from Christ. I shall prove this Union between Christ and Believers as 't is productive of Life it self in its first vital Principle and also as it is the cause of all after-growth in Grace proceeding from the higher and more vigorous operations of this Life raised and kindled in the Soul by the enlivening influences of the Eternal Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus in both these respects as it causes and continues Life in the Saints is this Mystical Union between Christ and Believers spoken of in the Scriptures The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one The Glory that was given to the Man Christ did all spring from the Union of the Human Nature to the Divine next to this is the Mystical Union between Christ and Believers the enlivening influences of this Union are set forth by an Incorporation by an Ingrafture The Ministry of the Word is an outward means of bringing this Union about making a tender of Christ to us and calling upon us to receive him Ministers are the Instrumental cause of this near Conjunction between Christ and Believers They are the friends of the bridegroom who give the Saints in Marriage unto Christ. I have espoused you to one Husband You see how the Scripture variously sets forth our Union to Christ who is our Life Regeneration is the beginning of this new Life and Nature in the Saints which shews it self more or less after an inward effectual call we know 't is God the Father's Voice who so calls us because a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation accompanies it powerfully enlightning our Minds By our Union to Christ we stand in a spiritual Relation to him as his Brethren Spouse and Members and this spiritual Relation to him gives us a right to all that he hath purchased for us He that hath the Son hath life c. We have an Interest in his Righteousness 't is ours by Imputation we being his his Righteousness becomes ours we cannot have Christ without his Righteousness which in the Infinite Merit of it extends it self to all Believers Rom. 3. 22. Thus we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ takes hold of us by his Spirit and by so doing enables us to take hold of him by Faith of his own operation in us such a Regeneration such a Conversion as this derives from him a Principle of Spiritual Life by which we are carried out to all good works Ephes. 2. 10. I shall further explain the Manner of our Union to Christ. Christ took our Nature upon him without the sin that cleaves to it in us this was done by a Miraculous Conception when Christ took our Nature his Eye was upon the Persons of the Elect The Hypostatical Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in the Person of Christ was in order to the Spiritual Union of our Persons to the Person of Christ Christ took our Nature abstracted from our Persons and consequently without sin super-induc'd upon it by Adam's Fall the Person corrupted the Nature in the First Adam not the Nature the Person as now it does Though Christ have taken our Nature upon him without sin yet how can we maintain this Union and Communion between Christ and our Persons in whom there is so much
sin Ans. 1. Christ joins himself to nothing but the New Creature holds Communion with nothing else in the Saints Light has no Communion with darkness nor Christ with Belial Nay he does not so much hold Communion with us as takes us into Communion with himself 2. This Communion between Christ and Believers is carried on and manag'd on both sides by the Holy Spirit and therefore must needs be a Holy Communion 3. The design of Christ in uniting us to himself is to cleanse us from all sin to purge them quite out and to sanctifie us wholly in Body Mind and Spirit The Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of Burning it consumes by degrees all that is contrary to it self in our Persons and will at last make us exactly conformable to himself we shall bear the image of the Heavenly Adam and take after the perfect Human Nature of Christ i. e. Human Nature in us tho it is now corrupted yet when Regeneration has had its perfect work upon us it shall even in our Persons be reduced to that Rectitude Harmony and Perfection as 't is now in the Man Christ then we shall be men indeed Glorious Men and Women when we have derived our Human Nature from Christ in all its Perfections and under that Divine Tincture which the Hypostatical Union gives it in Christ. In Regeneration we pass over by Faith both Body and Soul into Christ some present effects of this we see in our Souls now and when our vile Bodies shall be made like unto his Glorious Body we shall to Eternity bless God who has taken us out of the First Adam and put us into the Second This Spiritual Union of Believers to the Divine Person of Christ makes a living Impression of Godliness upon their Human Persons which causes them to grow up daily into a further Conformity to the Image of Christ as God-Man till they come to the stature of Perfection in him resembling him in both his Natures in the Perfection of his and our human Nature in him and in such a spiritual Participation of his Divine Nature as Creatures are capable of and standing in this Mystical Union to the Divine Person of Christ they behold his Glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God it shines out upon them in Heaven to all Eternity and lifts them up to the highest Communion with God that Creatures are capable of and this is their Glorification Thus I have led you from the first step in Regeneration to the last that you may see the Blessed Tendency of so great a work begun here in this World and compleated in the next I told you That Regeneration is initially and seminally all that belongs to a state of Grace ay and of Glory too therefore I may instance in any thing that lies within the Compass of a state of Grace whether Adoption Vocation Union to Christ Justification Sanctification and not recede from the Subject I am upon concerning Regeneration for all these do nearly concern it and lye close about it Some would suppose our Union to Christ and consequently by virtue of that our Justification by Christ to be before Actual Faith even in adult Persons and consequently without it they insist upon a Priority in Nature and Time and build Positions upon that distinction that will not hold they who speak with the Learned must understand with the Learned and use their terms in their sense they do not suppose this Priority or Posteriority to be in the things themselves but only in our manner of Conception we first apprehend one and then another tho we may apprehend one thing without another or before another it does not follow that those things are really without or before each other things that cannot be separated may by a precise act of the Understanding be distinguish'd but these signa or momenta rationis that men of art make use of to guide their Thoughts are too great subtilties for vulgar Heads to meddle with it may be you do not reach me in what I am now saying and it matters not whether you do or no it renders the Argument so much the stronger against the use of such Scholastick Terms in Divinity I am casting them out and perswading you from mingling vain Philosophy and Science falsly so called with the Mysteries of Faith which are best understood in their own native simplicity as they are delivered to us in plain Scripture-language They who hold Justification before Faith are afraid lest they should be betrayed into a Justification by Works if they should hold otherwise and therefore chose rather to plead for a Justification before Faith and without Faith lest they should seem to be Justified by any thing in and from themselves but how contrary is this to Scripture He that believeth not is condemned But he that believeth not is justified is no where written in my Bible They will admit of habitual Faith but are afraid of actual Faith lest that should encroach too much upon free Grace and lessen that for say they an act of Faith is Mans act and nothing that is so must have any place in Justification 1st I Answer Is not a habit of Faith a Mans habit Is it not infused by God into Man and placed in Man Is not Man the Subject of this Habit But this is wrought by God and is not every Act of Faith wrought by God in the Soul of a Believer I see no more danger in allowing actual Faith than habitual 2dly We must distinguish between an Act of Faith and Works of Faith Works of Faith are not Faith but an Effect and Fruit of Faith an Apple is not the Tree but something growing out of it and upon it as distinct from it but an Act of Faith is Faith it self 't is Faith reduced to Act or actual Faith. 'T is true an Act of Faith is mans Act deriving all its Virtue Efficacy and Signification from Christ the Object but 't is not properly a Work but Faith it self so that I see no danger of running into Justification by Works by asserting Justification by Faith. 3dly As an Act of Faith is not properly a Work in the legal Notion of a Works it is not within the Covenant of Work is it any where contained there that we should act our Faith upon Christ for the free Pardon of Sin Besides the Scripture expresly denies Faith to be a Work in this Sense To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness therefore believing is not working for Justification 4thly An Act of Faith is the only Act of a Man that entirely falls in with the free Grace of God Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace An Act of Faith is a receiving Act it brings nothing of our own to Christ but an empty hand receiving all from him ascribing all to him excluding all manner of boasting how can
with many Temptations a regenerate Soul is aware of this and fears always But before we enter into this or that particular Temptation that we see coming towards us or have reason to suspect from the present circumstances we are under here a regenerate person watches and prays that he may not enter into that Temptation that God would some way or other divert the Temptation or fortify our hearts against it that we may repel it A Temptation may enter into us when we don't enter into it then it goes as it comes and makes little or no impression upon us when a Temptation shews it self to us at some distance the Seed of God in a regenerate Soul presently takes the alarm puts on the whole armour of God. Secondly Under the Temptation when the Flesh has betrayed the Soul into the hands of a Temptation has been tampering with it then does Grace struggle and fight and cry out unto God for help all this shews the activity of Grace in a way of righteousness how loth it is to be overcome of evil Thirdly After the Temptation when 't is ended or finished then it issues either in the commission of the Sin or conquest over the Temptation Grace shews it self both ways First After the commission of Sin what repentance what godly sorrow what shame what indignation what revenge Secondly After the conquest over the Temptation what rejoycing what thanksgiving what triumphing in the Grace of Christ So that you see here lies the manifest difference between the Children of God and of the Devil An unregenerate man cannot do righteousness his skill lies not that way he is wise indeed to do evil but to do good no knowledg he is a meer Bungler at a good work his hand is always out because his heart is never right with God. He may do what is materally good but always fails in the manner those spiritual Ingredients which the Gospel requires to a work truly holy are wanting Thirdly Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God. And every spirit that confesses that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. They prove each other being inseparable The going forth of the Soul by Faith unto Christ as the anointed of the Lord sent and sealed by the Father to undertake the great work of Man's Redemption is a sure evidence of Regeneration All unregenerate men are strangers to Christ they know him not they desire him not they think they can shift well enough without him None know the Son of God but those who are born of God. When the Spirit comes into us then we confess that Christ is come in the flesh Christ conveys himself through our nature to our persons the Divine and Humane Nature must be first united before our persons can be admitted to any communion with him The Humane Nature of Christ is the foundation of all our Communion with God our access to God is through the veil of his flesh Being born of the Spirit we stand related to the Person of Christ he is not ashamed to call us Brethren we can then call God our Father as he is the Father of Christ our elder Brother God was the Father of Christ before his Incarnation and continues still to be so after his Incarnation not only to him but to all who are born of his Spirit The Spirit of Christ being the Spirit of him who is God and Man knows how to raise up a seed of godly men and women The Infinite Eternal Spirit of the Son of God being poured out without measure upon the Man Jesus Christ operates through both his Natures hypostatically united in his Divine Person in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily without any diminution of its infinite excellencies and Divine properties from the assumption of our finite humane nature so the same Eternal Spirit of Christ dwelling in us in a lower way of union to our persons does act indeed Divinely but yet according to our finite capacities all intellectual acts are finite or infinite as the persons are that do them the Person of Christ being infinite so are his spiritual actings notwithstanding his finite nature as Man so the actings of the Spirit of God in the Saints are finite because their persons are so Actiones sunt suppositorum Actions are personal of greater or lesser degree of efficacy and power as the persons are that do them Faith in Christ Jesus being the birth of the Spirit must needs be an infallible mark of Regeneration the design of the Spirit of God in working Faith in us is to bring us to the knowledg of Christ and through him to the knowledg of God wherein consists our true happiness This is life eternal to know thee c. Faith is the beginning of Eternal Life in the Soul and the manner of conveying this Eternal Life from God unto our Souls is called Regeneration Thus you see how he that believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. The next inquiry will be how Faith does this or how believing in Christ does work that universal change in the Soul which the Gospel calls Regeneration Tho the beginning or rather all the essentials of Regeneration are found in the first principle of Faith created in us by the Spirit of Christ yet this does not appear to us but by those lively operations of this Faith put forth by us We have an inward feeling of these operations the sense of which does lead us to some discerning of that spirit and principle from whence they flow 'T is actual Faith Iohn means in this Epistle therefore he joyns it with Confession he lays the Mark upon actual Faith for that only falls under our discerning God indeed sees the first seeds and principles of Grace but they are known to us only by the sense we have of their powerful actings in us and therefore I shall consider the regenerating Power of actual Faith and shew how it does discover that new birth that came in with a principle of Faith at first The Regenerating power of Faith both in the principle and in the act is very great it makes a marvellous change in us So strong are the impressions of Faith about Christ and our everlasting concernments in him that we must needs be much affected with the discovery which lies in two things 1. In a convicting knowledg of our sin and misery by Nature 2. In an astonishing discovery of God's Grace and mercy to us in Christ. The Spirit of God demonstrating both unto us with such clearness and evidence that we cannot but be persuaded of the truth of them in our own case and being so persuaded we must be concerned about them Faith draws in the attention of the mind to those things we believe in reference to our selves fixes our thoughts upon them dwells upon the consideration of them there is no evading the serious thoughts of Faith no getting them out of
will and to do but 't is we that will and do I conceive it lies something wide from the truth to put as some do Regeneration for Sanctification lying in the mortification of sin and newness of life which is rather an effect of Regeneration than that in which it consists the renewing of our Nature supposes a union to Christ an ingrafting into him who is the Root that bears us communicating all spiritual virtue and sap to those Branches that are vitally joined to him Therefore I shall describe Regeneration or at large define it thus viz. 'T is a wonderful work of God begetting the Elect again unto himself by implanting them into Christ from whom they derive a spiritual being and in whom they live spiritually for ever and ever growing up daily into his likeness till they come to the stature of a perfect man in him In Regeneration there is a supernatural form of true holiness impressed upon the Soul that the preternatural form of sin and ungodliness brought in by the Devil may be abolished nothing that is physically natural is abolished by Regeneration which takes not away any natural faculty or affection of the Soul only sets them upon right Objects Regeneration produces a new spiritual being in the Soul draws the Image of God upon the heart sets the Soul into a holy order and rectitude when the natural faculties of the rational Soul are brought under the power of supernatural Principles that man is regenerated Regeneration implies the beginning of the new Life or new Creature birth is the beginning of life we are born of God Iohn 1. 13. This is caused by God's quickning of us Eph. 2. 5. in and through our union to Christ by faith who is our life a quickning Spirit in us and to us 1 Cor. 15. 45. They who are born of God are not still-born but born alive quickned by the Spirit of Christ. This new life appears most in the Will by its real tendency towards God Phil. 2. 13. Where you see the will of a man turned to God and Christ you may be confident God hath been at work in that Soul this great quickning work of Regeneration usually appears first in the Will in the gracious motions and inclinations of the will of man towards God and Christ there may be an illumination of the Mind without any conversion of the Will the darkness of the Understanding is sooner removed than the corruption of the Will there may be many strong convictions wrought before there be any true conversion of the Will that stands it out to the uttermost before it consents to come to Christ and cast the Soul upon him by an act of faith and when the Father has drawn the Will to that act of faith repentance is always joined with it Acts 19. 4. Mark 1. 15. Faith principally respects Christ but Repentance is towards God himself whom we have offended by our sins Acts 20. 21. therefore Repentance turns us into the Will of God seeks to please him by doing only what he approves of Works meet for repentance Acts 26. 20. These Works are an effect of Gospel-repentance that flows from faith in Christ. Legal Terrors that accompany a legal Repentance are before Faith and cannot be removed but by faith in Christ Jesus an unregenerate man may attain to a Legal-repentance and be much terrified but he cannot attain to a Gospel-repentance in turning from sin as contrary to God's holiness Indeed this Gospel-repentance that flows from Faith may be sooner perceived than Faith it self a Sinner cannot easily perswade himself that he is reconciled to God in Christ before he finds in himself that he hath left those sins that separated him from God. Regeneration lies in creating in us a habit and vital principle of Faith which disposes and inclines us to actual believing this very principle denominates a man a Believer in the sight of God before he actually believes so regenerate Infants may be said to be Believers In Regeneration there is a power put into a man to believe and repent which are acts of the new Creature so that a man must first be a new Creature and that which makes him so is Regeneration before that an unregenerate person is called an old man the old man is distinct from our selves as men we must distinguish between the corruption of humane Nature and humane Nature it self which Regeneration does not destroy but perfect it implies a change of state and a change of nature the foundation of both is laid in our Regeneration by virtue of our incorporation into Christ who of God is made unto us righteousness and sanctification the efficacy of his Blood and Spirit does reach our Souls being one with him we die with him and rise with him are discharged from sin upon the account of his Satisfaction and are raised up unto newness of life by vertue of his Resurrection We pass through all the states that Christ passed through we die with him are crucified with him we rise with him ascend into Heaven with him are glorified with him there is nothing that God requires of Believers in a way of faith and hope but he hath given some instance already in his Son Jesus Christ of the actual accomplishment of that thing We hope to be justified from our sins because Christ is justified from 'em they were laid upon him but he has freed himself now from the imputation of them and therefore will appear the second time without sin Heb. 9. 28. We hope for a resurrection of the Body because Christ is risen we hope for glory because Christ is ascended and glorified So the Apostle argues 1 Pet. 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. There is as much reason for the justification of a sinner believing in Christ as for the Justification of the Person of Christ himself it is upon the same account so that our case is an adjudged case already upon record in Heaven it is no new thing for God to pass by our sins he having passed them all by in Christ no new thing for God to justifie such sinners as we are having already justified Christ admitted him to Glory and set him down at his Right Hand These are all instances of what you may expect from God the Father The Covenant of Grace requires no other Righteousness for your Justification but that of Christ therefore I would perswade you to keep up a high value and esteem for the Righteousness of Christ it will support you under the greatness of your own sins and under all the defects of your own Righteousness What is it that troubles poor souls their sins are great and their Righteousness small and what will become of them they know not Set the Righteousness of Christ against the greatness of your sins and against all the Imperfections of your own Righteousness raise up
acted either according to the natural capacity of the subject or the efficacious assistance of the Spirit for let our rational faculties be never so quick and strong they cannot carry out a Child of God much less others to the least act of Faith without the help of the Spirit 2dly In respect of their Temptations Those who have been exercised with strong Temptations born down by the power of strong Corruptions when converting Grace comes it comes with an actual strength proportionable to the actual resistance that 't is like to meet with so pulling down the strongest holds of Satan Habitual Grace infused at our first Conversion is the seed of God. The Spirit sets home the Word and causes a spiritual conception in the heart raises up the living Image of the living God in the Soul of a dead Sinner This Immortal Seed or Eternal Principle of Grace has the strength of Christ in it and is able to cope with original corruption But when it opposes strong acts of sin in those who have been accustomed to do evil and by their frequent practise do sin with a stronger hand than ordinary in this Case a principle of Grace must be drawn out into acts of a proportionable strength to these mighty acts of sin to put a stop to them for the future and to turn the sinner from them God said to Paul My grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness the power of Christ did rest upon him That degree of Grace may prevail over one sinner that may not so soon prevail over another I speak in respect of acquired habits or acts of sin which hardens the heart the more besides the Devil does not always make the like furious assaults upon all God knows how to suit the dispensations of his Grace to the present necessities of the Soul A Disease the further it spreads the deeper root it has taken in the Body requires stronger Physick and more effectual Remedies to remove it So 't is with the Soul and Christ the great Physician applies himself accordingly with a sufficiency of actual effectual Grace As he took notice how many years the Daughter of Abraham was bowed down and bound by Satan So he observes what power the Devil has got over such or such a Soul if his name be Legion Christ will cast him out being able to save to the uttermost Christ is more put to it to save some sinners than others in comparison There is in this respect a greater difficulty in saving some than others How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies one who has a nauseating stomach a 〈◊〉 swallow he kecks at every thing nothing will go down with him you may as soon draw a Camel through the eye of a Needle as bring a rich Man to Heaven But with God all things are possible God is here brought in acting according to the utmost possibility of his power in saving a Rich Man This may be another Reason why some are regenerated into a higher degree of Grace and spiritual strength than may be found in some others All have the same habit of Grace in the principle all have a sufficiency of actual Grace but all have not the same measure neither is it needful they should and so comparatively one Saint may be stronger or weaker than another in the first moment of Regeneration 3dly In respect of their Employments and Callings which may render them capable of higher service for God in the World than others may be called unto I instanced in Paul before so I may in Magistrates and Ministers now God in Conversion gives in Grace suitable to their Stations and Callings in the World. Saul when anointed King was turned into another Man tho that was but a civil Conversion yet it holds true in saving Conversion Also the Spirit of God divides to every man severally as he will and sets the Members every one of them in their proper place in the body under their proper peculiar gifts and qualifications that may render them useful to each other The Head cannot say to the Feet I have no need of you yet the Head is the most honourable part of the Body And you should covet earnestly the best Gifts There is a gradual difference in the Gifts and Graces of the Saints according to the several Offices they bare in the Body of Christ as Eyes Hands Feet and according to the several opportunities that Providence puts into their hands of serving the interest of Christ in their Generation Thus much of the Manner of Regeneration in a more general way I shall now speak to the Manner of Regeneration with a peculiar respect to the Gospel Notion and Nature of Regeneration as it consists in the Souls ingrafture into Christ by a vital Union to him through Faith Christ being the proper Fountain of that New Life which we derive from him in Regeneration and which is ever after maintained by him in all his true Members abiding under the quickning Influences of Christ their Living Head. The particular Manner of Regeneration in this Gospel-Notion of it will further appear in the right stating of this following Question viz. Quest. Whether the first step in Regeneration be from Sin to Holiness or from a sinful state and nature to Christ that we may be made holy by him I affirm the latter There can be no Change made in our Nature by the Spirit of Christ in our Sanctification but upon a Change of State from our closing in with the Blood of Christ for Justification The Spirit of Christ doth always follow the Blood of Christ 't is the Purchase of that Blood so that the sanctifying Spirit of Christ extends himself in all his saving Operations no further than the Body of Christ none but Members vitally joined to Christ their Head can be quickned by him therefore no man or woman can be savingly wrought upon by the Spirit of Christ who continue in a state of separation from him I grant many changes may be wrought in a mere natural man which amount to no more than a Moral Reformation and do all lye within the verge of an unregenerate state Were there no more in Regeneration or Conversion than a turning from Sin to Holiness than a change of Life and Manners arising as some would have it from that General Sufficient Grace purchased for all and which we may make effectual when we please this puts Regeneration and Conversion into Man's Power But Regeneration implies more than all this amounts to not only a Change of Life and Manners but of Nature and Principle we must first fix the Principle before we talk of doing we may as well do the Actions of a living Man without Life as act like Christians without Christ Christ is our Life a quickning Spirit in all his Members Therefore I state the Question
Sin he is laid open as an Impostor as a Deceiver the Repentance of the Saints is the greatest Torment to the Devil before his time that can be as there is joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a Sinner so there is no small sorrow in Hell upon the same Account You cannot Honour God more than by a Daily Repentance thereby you vindicate your holy Profession from giving the least countenance to sin were the people of God more ashamed of sin the wicked of the World would glory less in it they would begin to blush with you and hang down their heads for doing that which is so openly decry'd by all good men good men are greatly wanting in the open Profession of their Repentance if you did mourn for sin more others would rejoyce in it less FINIS ERRATA In the Preface THE last Page but one for sins read sin Regeneration Page 6. for God r. Ghost pag. 93. for works r. work p. 97. for discovery r. discourse p. 155. for patulum r. pabulum Faith. Page 12. last line for words r. word pag. 42. for Loyal r. Legal pag. 62. for deniable r. undeniable Books Printed and Sold by Tho. Cockeril at the Three Legs in the Poultrey over against the Stocks-Market THE Works of the late Learned Divine Stephen Charnock Two Vol. Folio Annotations upon all the Books of Old and New Testament by Matt. Pool 2 Vol. Folio The History of Phylosophy containing the Lives Opinions c. of Phylosophers by Tho. Stanley Esq Folio The compleat Works of Mr. Isaac Ambrose Folio The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate or several Cases of Conscience practically resolved by sundry Ministers The 4th Edition 4to A Supplement to the Morning Exercise at Cripplegate or several more Cases of Conscience practically resolved by sundry Ministers The second Edition 4to The Court of the Gentiles Part 3. The Vanity of Pagan Phylosophy demonstrated c. by Theophilus Gale. 4to The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God in the Soul of Man opened in several Sermons by Peter Sterry sometimes Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and late Preacher of the Gospel in London 4to Speculum Theologiae in Christo Or a view of some Divine Truths c. By Edward Polhil of Burwash in Sussex Esq 4to Geography rectified Or a Description of the World in all its Kingdoms Provinces Countries c. The second Edition enlarged with above thirty sheets more in the Description and about 20 new Maps By Robert Morden 4to Large Octavo's THE Nature Powers Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainders of In-dwelling sin in Believers Together with the ways of its working and means of prevention opened evinced and applyed with a Resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto appertaining Precious Faith considered in its Nature Working and Growth By Edward Polhil of Burwash in Sussex Christus in Corde Or the Mystical Union between Christ and Believers considered in its resemblances bonds seals priviledges and marks By the same Author Armatura Dei or a preparation for suffering in an Evil Day shewing how Christians are to bear Sufferings and what Graces are requisite thereunto suited for all good Christians in this present time By the same Author The Faithfulness of God Considered and cleared in the great events of his Word or a second part of the fulfilling of the Scripture By the Author of the first Part. A Renunciation of several Popish Doctrines because contrary to the Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England By. R. R. B. D. Iude 4. Heb. 3. 18. Rom. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 7. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Acts. 5. 20. Phil. 2. 15. Isa. 55. 3. Joh. 5. 25. Acts 20. 32. Gen. 2. 15 16. Joh. 14. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Luke 1. 15 Jer. 1. 5. Gal. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Joh. 9. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 3. Ephes. 2. 11 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Joh. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 46. Verse 23. Luke 1. 8. Luke 2. 40 52. 1 Joh. 39. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Luke 13. 11 16. Mark 10. 24. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Verse 18. Mat. 12. 32. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Act 11. 26. 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 9. Joh. 6. 96. Joh. 13. 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Rom. 11. 17 19. 23 24. Joh. 15. 1 2. Joh. 3. 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Col. 3. 4. Joh. 6. 45. 1 Joh. 5. 12. Rom. 4. 3. Quest. Ans. Joh. 3. 18. Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 4. 16 Psal. 38 4. Isa. 45. 21. Psal. 116. 6. Psal. 118. 13. Gal. 3. 24. Gal. 3. 19 20 21 22. Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 4. 21. Luke 1. 16. 17. Matt. 3. Luke 3. Luke 3. 3. John. 1. 29. Acts. 2 38 39. 3â—â—9 Acts. 8. 22. Acts. 20 20. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Eph. 6. 19. Heb. 13. 13 15. 2 Cor. 2. 14 15. Psal. 22. 30. Ezek. 11. 19 20. Micah 4. 5. Deut. 14. 21. Tit. 2. 14. Exod. 19. 5 6. Rom. 8. 28 29 30. Luke 10. 20. Rev. 21. 27. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Râ—v 13 8. 1 Joh◠〈◊〉 1 Joâ—◠〈◊〉 1 Johâ—â— 1 John â—â— 4,5 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 â—2 â—â— 1 Joh. 3. 9. 1 Joh. 5. 18. 1 Joh 2. 29. Eph 4 23 24. 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 29. Mat. 7. 18. Psal. 119. 3. Rom 7. 16 1 John 2. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Job 34. 3. Heb. 4. 12. Luke 24. 32. 1 John 2. 29. 1 John 3. 10. Rom. 6. 4. vers 13. 1 Thess. â— 23. Eph. 5. 9. Matth. 19. 28. Tit. 3. 5. John 3. 5. Jer. 31. 33. Gal. 2. 20. John 15. 5. 1 Joh. 5. 1. 1 Joh. 4. 2. Observ. Heb. 10. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Ephes 4. 20. 1 Joh 5. 4. 1 Joh. 44. Joh. 16. 33. Heb. 4. 3. Prov 4. 23. 1 Joh. 4. 7. 1 Joh. 5. 1. John 13. 34 35. 1 Pet. 1. 22. vers 23. Rom. 13. 8. 1 John 4. 16. Rom. 5. 5. Eph. 5. 1. Jam. 4. 4. 1 John 4. 12. Joh 13. 34. Vide Eph. 4. 23. compared with verse 31 32. Tit. 3 3. Gal. 5. 15. Col. 3. 15. Joh. 17. 31. 22 23. Col. 3. 8 13. Gal. 5. 19 c. 1 Joh. 4. 20. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Rom. 11. 36.