so indifferently why should he confirm it with the blood of his own Son why should there be the Sac 〈…〉 s and so many Seal to establish the truth of it and why doth he propound it so freely to me when he looks upon the promise the promise makes him believe the freenesse of it the universality of it the indifferentâ—y of it to as many as will have it the Lord puts power into the promise to affect the heart fire the heart there is so much truth and goodness in the promise as is able to make the soul beleeve when God speaks it to the heart it is such a good promise and such a free promise and so Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus to all that do but rest upon it the Lord holds the promise before a maâ—s eyes and saith here is a promise for thee beleeve here is mercy here is favour here is pardon here is peace here is Christ here is strength here is wis 〈…〉 thou art a fool here is wisdome for thee to direct thee thou art weak 〈◊〉 strength for thee to enable thee do but rely upon me and thou s 〈…〉 have it the soul doth not first believe the promise and then take it but the Lord first propounds the promise to the soul and makes the soul look up to God in his promise I am a vile sinner but with the Lord there is mercy and I have a cursed spirit within me but with the Lord there is power to subdue it the truth of the promise and the power of God going with it makes the soul beleeve it and this is the reason when God would renew the saith of his people he gives them as it were a new call and holds the promise afresh before them as Gen. 17. 1. I am God alsufficient walk b 〈…〉 me and be upright as who should say Abraham go not away from me 〈◊〉 not any where else thou mayest have any thing in me I am God Almâ—gâ—ty beleeve in me keep by me go not from me but walk before me all the dayes of thy life and I will be a God unto thee and in blessing I will blesse thee therefore Rom. 9. 8. the people of God are called the children 〈…〉 I se because the promise breeds them and converts them and is the ground of all unto them they are the very children of the promise now here be three things I would shew unto you First why this act is attributed to the â—â—theâ— the Father speaks to the soul the soul hears it and so comes Secondly what speech this is which the soul hears and so comes to God by faith Thirdly how a man may know whither he hath heard this voice or no. First why this act is attributed to the Father Every man that hath heard and Quest 1. Why is this act attributed to the Father 1. Not as though Christ did not speak learned of the Father c. the Father speaks and the soul hears from the Father I answer First not as though Christ did not speak but he came to send them to to the Father go to him and hear him that is not the meaning of it no Christ cuts off all such thoughts in the next verse Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father c. not that any man hath seen the Father c. as who should say I do not mean that you should runne to the Father as though I were not able to teach you no man can go to the Father he dwells in light that is unaproachable no man can come to the Father but by me Mat. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father c. you see here that is not the meaning of it Christ is a sufficient Doctor he is the great Prophet of his Church and is able to instruct his people therefore that is not the meaning of it Secondly not as though we should set up a conceited distinction of works 2. Notes â—hough we should set up a conceited distinction of woâ—ks in the Trinity in the Trinity as though a man should say now a man is under the work of the Father and then under the work of the Sonne and then under the work of the holy Ghost as some imagine sometimes the soul is under the work of the Father as when the soul doth not beleeve the Father draws it and pulls it and when it beleeves then it is under the work of the Sonne and he works upon the conscience and justifies it and afterwards it is under the work of the holy Ghost when it is sealed with the Spirit of promise these things are true yet this is not the meaning neither doth our Saviour Christ intend any such construction neither have we any warrant for any such distinction of works for as this act of drawing is here given to the Father so John 11. it is given to the Sonne When I am listed up I will draw all men unto me and as we say the soul hears the Father so it heares the Son also John 5. 25. so that these are but conceits and as the seal is given to the Spirit so it is given to the Father and the Son sometimes therefore to say that the soul is now under the work of the Father and now under the work of the Sonne and now under the work of the holy Ghost these things are not warrantable in Scripture but the meaning is this our Saviour meeting with the stubbornnesse of the Jews that would not believe but murmured and repined at his doctrine he puts in this no man cometh unto me except the Father draweth him he means their utter inability of coming to him by nature unlesse it be given them from above if he had spoken of it againe may be would have said no man cometh unto me except the Spirit draweth him you must know that all the acts of the blessed Trinity are indevidable 't is true the Father as he is first in order of subsistance so he is first in order of operation and working but look what one works all work one act flows from them all as it is said you are washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit had a hand in the same work they all do the same work for any further meaning of this I know not any warrant The second thing is what this voice is that the Father doth speak to the 2. What is this voice Not distinct from the word preâ—ched soul and so the soul is made to come to Christ I answer you must not conceive that here is any voice distinct from the Word it is but imaginary and notional when men dream of any other Relations besides the Word it is not a proper but a metaphorical speech and it consists in two things First in opening a mans senses Secondly in removing a mans lamenesse and inability Consists 1. In the opening a a mans senses First in opening a
given him a new frame and a new inclination except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God he cannot see the kingdom of Grace that is the first dowry of the kingdom of Grace to give a man a new Being that he never had before a natural man is just like an old rotten house that hath not one piece that will serve the turn but a man that will make it an habitable house must take it all down to the ground and build it up from the ground so it is here there is not one piece will serve the turn though ye see admirable things in men though they seem excellent in the eyes of men yet they will not serve the turn they are rottâ—n and stark naught there is an absence of all Good Rom. 7. 18. Nay besides there is an universal indisposition in a man like to a thing that is all rotten and marred and can never be made up again except it be made spick and span new and so it is with a man he is altogether corrupt as the Prophet speaks Isa 1. from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head nothing but bruises and putrified soars take a man that is never so civil and of fair carriage so long as he is not a new creature this is nothing for the entring into the kingdom of God and being amiable in his sight Nay Gen. 6. 5. the Text saith The thoughts of the heart of man are only evil continually there is nothing found in a man though he daily think of Grace and think of God his thoughts cannot be said to be good for the mind whereby he thinks of these things is rotten and unsavory though he speaks of never so good things the same things the Saints of God speak of though he doth the same actions the people of God do though he hears the same VVord and receives the same Sacraments he cannot do them aright they are abomination in Gods sight therefore when God regenerates a man he must make him another man then he was before This speaks natures corruption Secondly Because the things of Regeneration are admirably set out by The work well expressed by the Name way of this similitude Natural Generation is generally sweetly answered in this VVork of Regeneration First As a man cannot come into the World without Parents but he must have a Father to beget him so it is in this new Birth as in the other Father both in Natural and Spiritual Generation there was an earthly Father so here is an heavenly Father as the Author to the Hebrews speaks Heb. 12. 9. How much rather shall we be subjected to the Father of Spirits There are two Fathers an earthly Father the Father of the natural and corrupt man and God the Father of our Spirits that is the Father of our spiritual Nature as many excellent Divines do expound it though it may be expounded the Father of our Souls yet this is more likely because here is an opposition between the Father of the Flesh and the Father of the Spirits God himself is the Father of this new work Secondly Here is a Mother too That Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of them all they are all Zions Children here is A Mother in both the Womb that these new creatures lye in Christs Spouse the Lambs wife is their Mother though the world hate them and her too yet they love her nay though the woman be thrown out into the wilderness yet their hearts run after her the Regenerate only are the true born this is their Mother Thirdly As it is in the Natural Birth There is a shaping in the Womb before there is a coming into life so it is here as the Apostle saith there is a First Conception and then Birth conceiving of a man in the womb before he is Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in Birth till Christ be formed in you There is the Conception 't is true wicked men have many Conceptions but they do not bring forth Christ is not formed in them they may have many stirrings that way but they perish in the Birth but Zion travels and brings forth Children Isa 66. 8. Fourthly Again As it is in the Natural Birth None is brought forth without the pains of travel So there be pains in this new Birth legal terrours Pain accompanies both Births which the Reprobate are killed with and die under but the godly come forth from under them safe and bettered Fifthly Again As it is in the first Birth the Child that is born and comes into the world he comes from no Being to a Being from no Existency Both come to a Being they had not to an Existency so it is here in this new Birth those which were no people are now made the people of God those that had no being in Christ now have a being in him they are come into a new world into a new heaven and a new earth others live in this world but they live in a new world Sixthly Again As it is in the first Birth A man comes to have Children to have Brothers and Sisters so in this Birth a man comes to have new New Kindred follows both Kindred all the Godly in the world are of his Consanguinity though they be counted the Puritans of the Parish yet they are of his bloud and Christ himself is their Brother and Abraham is their Father under God and Sarah is their Mother there is a new Kindred Indeed here is the difference that the Children of the first Birth they are visible and their lives and courses are visible and their alliance and kindred is visible and all that they are and do is visible but the Children of the second Birth are not visible indeed their persons are visible as well as others but their life is an invisible thing their excellency their glory this new creature in them this is invisible it is like that River in Spain which runs fourteen miles under ground whence they have a Proverb That the Bridge over the River is fourteen miles long So there is a River in Surry that is just the like it runs under the ground invisible they cannot see it so these new creatures they cannot be seen their lives run under ground their lives are hidden with God indeed their persons and outward actions and courses may be seen nay wicked men may do those very outward actions which they do they may Pray together with them and come to Church together with them but this new workmanship they cannot see that runs along under ground the world seeth it not neither can they know it because they know not Christ the Author of it Thus we see the second thing namely Why it is so called Now the Third Thing is Wherein this blessed Work doth consist and it Wherein Regeneration consisteth consists in Two Things Joh. 1. 12. The Evangelist
is all that are born of God they are brought forth in the day of Gods power in the day wherein God is pleased to put forth his power in them therefore they are called the seed of Christ Isa 53. 10. They are his seed but unless he begets them by his Spirit they can never be so Therefore if we consider the greatness of the work it sheweth plainly it must needs be the effect of the Will of God and his good Pleasure towards man and therefore must be wrought by the Spirit Secondly Another Reason is Because it is not a work of this world It No other agent can do it is a work of another world it is none of the creatures of this life it is beyond the sphere of the activity of any natural agent they cannot reach it Joh. 1. 13. Which were born not of the will of the flesh nor of bloud c. It is not of mans Will he cannot so much as Will it or Desire it effectually he cannot wish it truly nay his heart had rather have the world nay saith he It is not of the Will of the Flesh that is a man may go and beget another Child in the world because it is of the Will of the Flesh it is in the power of the Will of the Flesh Gods power going along with him but this is not so whatsoever a man be though he hath never so many excellent parts it is not in the Will of the Flesh to do it Then again it is not of Bloud it is no terrene or earthly thing this new creature is otherwise made than any new creature in the world besides therefore he concludes it is only born of God it is God only that is the great Author of this great work it descends down meerly from above Thirdly Because it is so far from being wrought by any power Man is totally against it of himself in man or any counsel in man or any endeavours in man it is so far from that as that a man is totally against it A man is an enemy unto it a man hath reluctancy and repugnancy against it he would not be regenerate when a man doth think he desires heaven and to be regenerated of God he doth apprehend Regeneration in a wrong way and heaven in a wrong way so as he apprehends it he doth Will it he thinks of heaven as of a fine place and a place full of pleasure and therefore desires it but that he should alwayes be with God that he should alwayes be praysing and thinking of God and minding of God and have his heart weaned from all other things and set it on God this is heaven but he hates these things and so hates heaven so he Wills that which he apprehends to be Regeneration but Regeneration is when a man hath a new heart and when he is a new-man he was wordly before but he is now brought to be spiritual he was proud before but he is now come to be humble but the heart cannot abide this therefore let the Lord fling in abundance of throws into a natural mans heart to begin some preparatory work this way to make a man begin to look out towards heaven he flings all away he is weary of them quickly as a man at a Sermon perhaps may have throws concerning the new Birth but the corruption of his heart will throw all way he cannot endure them they are contrary to the corruption of a mans nature nay when God comes to work upon his own people what a deal of pleading is there with the world the flesh and the Divel that they may not be cast out Therefore when Peter saw that through the grace and power of God this work was wrought in those he wrote unto 1 Pet. 1. 3. Mark how he speaks Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead He lifts up his hands to heaven and blesseth God that ever this work was wrought he saw so much adoe and such a stir and such a deal of opposition this is a plain sign that it is not of man it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Neither can man Will neither can he run neither go nor stir towards it nay though God make him go how apt is â—e to laggar in the way and draw back again So you see the Fourth Thing Why it must needs be the Spirits Work The Fifth Thing is How the Spirit of God works this Work It is after How the Spirit worketh Regeneration an unspeakable manner Who can declare the noble acts of the Lord The works of God in Nature are marvellous David himself when he looked upon his natural Birth the Conception of him in the Womb of his Mother he wondered at it Psal 139. 14. That was a wonderful work how much more is this unspeakable and unutterable As it is said of our Saviour Christ Who can declare his generations So may I say in a lower sense of this Work Who can declare this Regeneration of his people But yet thus far the Scripture doth authorize and warrant us to go First That he doth it by the word of Life By the Gospel of Salvation by the Preaching of it or otherwise according as he pleaseth that is the By the Word of Life immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God c. And as Paul saith to the Coriâ—thians Though you have ten thousand and instructers yet you have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. As who should say You are begotten and born again and you are born again by the Word and I was an instrument under God of your new Birth by the Word which I have Preached among you and therefore 1 Tim. 1. 2. he calls Timothy His own Son So Tit. 1. 4. he calls him His Son in the Faith that is he was an instrumental Father under God by the Doctrine of Faith to bring him to be a Child of God So that I say it is done by the Word Of his own Will hath he begotten 〈◊〉 by the Word of truth Jam. 1. 18. The Spirit of the Lord sanctifies the Word when he is pleased to convert a man the Word shall shew him what a miserable creature he is by nature it sheweth him that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdom of God it sheweth him that he is utterly forlorn in himself and past all recovery and shews him where life is to be had namely in Jesus Christ discovering his worth and excellency and necessity and that all Grace and good is in him and shews him the freedom of this gracious offer Thus the Spirit of God when he
propounds the Word to the soul holds it before the eyes and conscience and sanctifies it and puts a power into it to enter deep into the soul that it may Conceive in the soul Secondly The Lord doth it by an unspeakable working There is a Divine work which the Lord worketh The spirit comes into the soul after the By a secret and supernatural power manner of water as Christ saith Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost c. that is unless he be born of the Spirit which worketh in the spirit of a man as water doth in working upon a â—oul thing Now what this working is we cannot tell but we can tell you the effects of it whereas the soul was rotten and naught before and impotent to all good now it begins to have a better disposition and a new power And whereas it did savour of the things of this life before now it savours of the things that are above but this is a secret kind of working in the soul therefore it is called the washing and the laâ—er of it And the Apostle speaking of the Corinthians what miserable creatures they were before Regeneration he nameth Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers c. and all manner of filthy persons Such were some of you saith he before your Regeneration but now you are washed and justified and sanctified in the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. That same washing there he means by that you are Regenerated so that Regeneration it is a supernatural an unspeakable kind of washing of the soul by the holy Ghost whereby the soul hath its Corruption washed from it in part and made clean in paâ—â— and way made for all the Graces of Gods Spirit to come in now and all the fruits of the spirit to be brought forth Thus the Spirit of God works this work he works it in an ineffable manner by the word of Life and by a secret kind of washing I come now to the Application of this Point And first of all If the Spirit of God be the Regenerater of Gods people then we may here see Vse 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians c. the errour of the Papists Pelagians and others That set up the Will of man and put any activity in the Reason and Judgement and Wisdom and Election of man This Doctrine of theirs is unâ—ound and contrary to the working of Gods holy spirit If it be such a work as God sends his own Spirit to do it What man can do it It is called Regeneration and this shews it is not of man who is able to beget himself and shape himself in the womb and dispose of his own body in the belly Nay more Can any man beget himself again The very name of Again shews that it is a work only of God none but he can do it and we see it plainly it is wrought no where but where God himself doth it and they that have it are able to speak it that they did not chuse God but God chose them I was found of them that sought me not all the souls of his people will subscribe That it was not in them that willed or in them that ran but in God that shewed mercy It is God only that is the Author of this thing and none but he Secondly Again This should teach us to consider that we have alwayes Informaton Of our continual need of the Spirit need of the Spirit of God If the Spirit of God hath begotten us again then we have alwayes need of him it is not in this as in the first Birth when the Child is born though the Father be gone the Child may subsist but it is not so here but the Spirit of God as he begets a man so he is fain alwayes to stand by him and bear him up and give him supplies of Grace from day to day As it is with the Air the Sun doth not only enlighten it but it doth every moment give light to it for suppose the Sun should shine four or five hours in the day yet if the Sun should with-hold its light the Air would be dark presently it is not as it is with Fire let a man heat the water though he take away the Fire the water will keep its heat a while after but do but with-hold the light of the Sun and all is gone in the same moment so it is with this new Creature and the Spirit of God he doth dwell in the soul as the Sun in the Air his presence warms the soul and quickens the soul and inables a man to good and gives a principle of life and enables to all actions that are good therefore how should all Gods people carry themselves towards this Spirit They should have a care that they quench him not nor go against him in any particular The Third Vse is for all Gods people in whom God hath wrought this Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit blessed work the Spirit of God hath regenerated and begotten them again I say to all such persons Let them endear this Spirit of God let them not grieve or offend or displease him seeing he is such a gracious worker in them Ephes 1. 13. The Apostle makes this very Inference in whom after ye believed ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise that is whereby you were Regenerated Regeneration is the first seal of the Spirit whereby he seals Gods good will to a man Now hath the Spirit of God sealed you Then do not grieve him nor cause him to take any indignation against you for though he will never depart from them whom he hath made new Creatures yet notwithstanding he may hide his face for a time if we displease him Yea Consider Will any natural Child willingly displease his loving Father The Spirit of God is our Father therefore we should have respect to him Again This should be a Motive to Gods people to be willing to do any 2. To do any thing for God thing for God because he hath made them as David saith Psal 100. 3. This very Consideration That God hath made us and re-made us he hath done that for us that all our own wits could never have done that the whole world hath not the like the Lord gener-ally lets the whole World sink in ruine and damnation should be a Motive to you to be willing to serve him gladly and to call upon his Name to be ready prest to execute any of his Commands to enter into his presence upon all occasions seeing it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves To them that are Vnregenerated Here we see where to have Regeneration 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit it is only in God and in the Spirit of God to renew a man and make a man up again As David prayed when he had the Spirit Lord take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. So when
put a new Spirit within them And so he makes them to be of one and the self-same mind Now the Reason Why the Spirit of God doth do this is Reasons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Christ None but the Spirit is able First Because none else besides the Spirit is able to do it For by nature we are wofully and fearfully different from the Body of Christ we are of another nature of another kind of another life nay we are contrary to it all the Members of Christ they are as young sucking children but wicked men and all men by nature are Lions and Leopards and Bears and Tigers as the Prophet speaks Isa 11. 6. 7. Now the Prophet there speaking how Christ means to effect it is to unite these together to make the Lion and the Lamb to have communion together to make the Bear and the Kid to lye down together Mark how he sheweth how Christ will do it in the second verse of the same Chapter the text saith The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him he speaks of Christ that is whereas this requires a great deal of power to do this to make a man to be clean contrary to his nature whenas a mans nature is carnal and wicked and earthly to make him of the Body of Christ therefore saith the text The Spirit of Might shall be upon him c. There is a great deal of Might required to turn their dispositions it is a mighty thing to change a man that is a drunkard a proud person a wicked wretch to turn this man topsie-turvy to make him mind other things to make him clean another man this requires infinite wisdom Therefore the Spirit of Wisdom shall rest upon him to do it and the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord that is the Lord Jesus shall put in the Spirit of Fear into mens hearts and this will turn them this will alter mens minds and conversations Secondly There is none so fit as the Spirit of God to do it For this None but the Spirit is fit to do it Body of Christ it is a company of Sons and Daughters that God hath up and down in the world that are able to cry Abba Father now who is so fit to do this as the Spirit of the Son As the Apostle saith That he might redeem them that were under the Law that they might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 5. Fourthly How the Spirit of God doth this and that is Two wayes as How the Spirit doth Unite to Christ's Body By being one and the same spirit in all Members the Scripture reveals to us The One is By being one and the same Spirit in all the Members of Christ He comes into them and dwells in them as one and the self-same Spirit and so makes up this union The same Spirit that was in Paul was in Peter and so all the rest of the Members of Christ one and the self-same Spirit is in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that yeare the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwelleth in you Therefore look what Spirit of Faith one man hath another comes to have the same Spirit of Faith as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith with them as it is written I believe and therefore I speak so we believe and therefore we speak Secondly The Spirit doth this by uniting and tying a knot between these By tying a knot between all the Members Members He doth unite them and make them hang together in one he makes them to be of one heart and of one soul by knitting and combining of their hearts all together Therefore this fellowship is called the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. Though Paul were far off from Philippi yet he could adjure the Philippians by the fellowship of the Spirit But you will say How can this be Can the people of God have communion and fellowship one with another when they are so far asunder one from another and may be never saw one another may be never heard one of another How can this be I say Very well for the Spirit of God hath a long arm and is able to make the people of God shake hands though they be a thousand miles asunder it is the Spirit that tyeth this knot and unites them together As Paul speaks Col. 2. 5. Though I be absent in the Flesh yet I am present with you in the Spirit and methinks I am in your company and meetings when you meet together I see you in my mind methinks and I joy in your order The Spirit makes the communion between the people of God and hence it is that they can love one another because all the Members are tyed together by one knot and they come to help one another and do any thing one for another even by the very love of the Spirit which they have one towards another Rom. 15 30. The Apostle had some need of the good Romans to help him Now see how he doth intreat help from them he desires them by the love of the Spirit to pray heartily for him he knew that the love of the Spirit would be a great motive to them you know you and I are joyned together by the same Spirit for the love of the Spirit pray for me Thus we see First What this Body of Christ is Secondly What the putting a man into this Body is Thirdly The Reasons why Fourthly How the Spirit doth it Now I come to the Vses Vses The want of the Spirit is the cause of difference And First Is it so that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body Then here we may see the reason of the difference of men in the world The difference of our Congregations some companies that hang together are of one mind another of another mind the reason is they have a different Spirit but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together and the wicked they have another Spirit Secondly Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together in Let none put asunder what the Spirit joyns one Body Then that which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder It is spoken in regard of man and wife if it be such a horrible thing to part man and wife then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God this blessed communion of the Spirit what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out When there shall be heart-burnings and strivings between those that are the children of God what a fearful thing is this Is the number of those that fear God so great that we can spare any Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderness Graces that can walk alone and need no
help from or can do no good to others Therefore the Apostle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians That the Members of Christ may be of one minde and live in peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Thirdly Here we may see how to try our acquaintance and whether To try our acquaintance hereby the company we joyn our selves unto be good or no If our company be right the Spirit of God tyeth the knot therefore the Apostle will tell you whether you have the right communion and fellowship or no try the spirits whether they be of God or no saith he If the fellowship we have one with another be not of God if the Spirit of God do not knit us together our fellowship is not right 1. Joh. 1. 3. there is an excellent place That they may have fellowship with us saith he and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ As who should say We would fain have you have fellowship with us and I tell you what kind of fellowship you must have if you be acquainted with us you must have fellowship with the father and with the Lord Jesus Christ for our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ so that we may see whether our Company be right or no by this The Last Vse is this Is it so that the Spirit of God joyns all the Saints To stir up a sympathy amongst the Saints of God together in one Body Then we should have a fellow-feeling with all the Members of Christ Do not say thou art a Member of the Church of England and not of France or Germany do not say thou art a Member of this Parish but not of another do not say so for if thou art a Member of Christ there is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4. 4. If there be one Body there must be one Spirit and therefore we should have a fellow-feeling But how shall we have a fellow-feeling with the Members of Christ How to work maintain and express this sympathy By informing our selves concerning one another I say First We must inform our selves as much as we can concerning one another As when the Ark of God was among the Philistims old Eli though he gave way too far to his Sons wickednesse yet was he very careful of the Ark and people of God and therefore 1 Sam. 4. 13 14. he went out and sate in the high-way that so he might hear in the first place what was the news and you know how his heart trembled when he heard that the Ark of God was taken So it was with David when any came out of the Camp of Israel he saith to them What is done I pray thee 2 Sam. 1. 4. So we should enquire concerning one another Secondly We should visit our fellow-members As it is said of Moses By visiting our fellow-Members though he were a great Courtier in Pharaoh's Court yet he went out to look upon his Brethrens burthens Exod. 2. 11. he would be ever and anon steping out to see how his brethren fared and how did this affect his heart with their trouble Thirdly We should lay to heart their Afflictions It is a strange thing By laying to heart their afflictions how the people of God in all ages have been affected with the Afflictions of the Church nay though they have not seen it but only fore-saw what would be afterwards As Elisha wept when he fore-saw what cruelty Hazael would use towards the People of Israel 2 King 8. 11 12. So Daniel Dan. 8. 27. when God revealed the Afflictions of the Church to him two hundered years before it should come to pass yet when he heard of the Affliction that should fall out the text saith that Daniel fainted and how can we think that the Spirit of Christ hath united us into one Body when we have not this disposition in our souls OF THE SABBATH Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy THAT which I intend to speak concerning the Sabbath at this time I will cast into these Propositions The First is this That there must be some set time Proposit 1. A set time for worship for the Worship and immediate Service of God Now the Reason why there must be some set time for Gods immediate Worship is First Because all Actions cannot be done at once Reas 1 but by succession first one and then another for a man to perform the duties of Gods Worship in an instant and to get down the knees of body and soul before his Maker in an instant this cannot be Eccles 3. 1. There is an appointed time for every Action under the Sun Then if there be a time for all actions surely there must be a time for the Worship of God Secondly There must be a set time Because such is our dulness in the Reas 2 duties of Gods Worship that we had need to have times set apart for Gods Worship there is a great deal of ado required to fix a mans Thoughts upon heaven to have a fixed apprehension of the Presence of God these do not only require time but a great deal of time Secondly The Second Proposition is this That as there must be some Propos 2. Some set time for worship every day time for Gods immediate Worship and Service so there must be some set time every day all the dayes of our lives there must be some defined and determinate time for Worship of God every day at the least morning and evening David though he were employed in great affairs yet he had three times a day to glorifie God in in his holy Ordinances Three times in the day will I praise thee Psal 55. 17. The Reason of this is Because men live like Beasts without daily invocation upon God 2 Chron. 13. 10 11. Abijah there speaking against Jeâ—choam the King of Israel though himself had no great goodness in him he saith The Lord is our God and we offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense every day Every day they did it as who should say it were a sign that God were not amongst us if we did not this he takes it as a principle written in the conscience though he were a natural man yet he doth reason thus that where there is not every day some time for Gods Worship God is not amongst them Another Reason is Because every morning God reneweth his Mercies Reas 2 and every evening they are continued to us as the Church saith in the Lamentations ch 3. 23. Every morning his mercies are renewed to us and in the evening his compassions sail not therefore every morning we are to set our selves before God to ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins every morning and evening we are to do this Psal 92. 1 2. David saith It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to sing praises to thy Name O thou most High To shâ—w forth thy loving kindness
is holiness and righteousness that is a sign of our effectuall calling Thirdly They are signs of justification also as the Apostle sheweth but you are washed c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. you see if we be justified we are also sanctified so 1 Joh. 1. 7. if we walk in the light as he is in the light c. We have not one drop of the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our souls by Gods eternal spirit through faith unless we walk in the light and bring forth the works of the light Fourthly They are signs of adoption John 8. 39. If you were Abrahams children you would bring forth the works of Abraham so if we were Gods children we would do the works of God the will of God The Apostle having spoken of the adoption of Saints behold what love the Father hath shewed to us c. presently he tells us that holiness and righteousness follows from hence he that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure So Rom. 8. 14. As many are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God this is an infallible sign if we be the sons of God we are led by the spirit of God so that we have no mark that we are the children of God but rather of the Divel unlesse we walk in purenesse of conversation from day to day Fifthly They are the marks of our love to God as Christ saith if you love me keep my commundements John 14. 15. we love not God except we keep his commandments as ever you would be able to say in truth you love me keep my commandments look that you yield not to the corruptions of the world look that you renounce the Divel and all his works I will conclude you love me not at all if you keep not my commandments and he that loves not Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha saith the Apostle Secondly Consider this that the reason why we cannot pray better is Motive 2. because we are no more abundant in good works not only because we want faith but because we want good works for certainly this is a great help to prayer a great support to the soul a great encouragement to go to the Throne of grace and a great sign that God means to hear a man when God hath given him an heart to fear him and love him and make conscience of his wayes as the Apostle saith 1 John 3. 22. Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do the things pleasing in his sight As who should say when we go to God and intreat him to be merciful to us and intreat such and such favours that we stand in need of we know that we shall receive them because we keep his commandments These are admirable supports to hold up the hands to the Throne of grace and to make us importunate in prayer and confident because we know God hath poured forth his gracious good will and pleasure into our hearts and hath given us a mark he loves us and beares us good will indeed Why can we pray no better our hands are weake and our knees feeble there is no power in our supplications to the Almighty the spirit of grace is departed from us why the spirit of holiness is gone there is the reason of it when people are loose and do not mortifie their lusts when they are not abundant in following God in fearing God and serving God and obeying the commandments of God they cannot have confidence at the Throne of grace Thirdly Consider this would be a great chearing and rejoycing in the Motive 3. evil day whatsoever afflictions come upon us in this world if we can carry letters testimonial in our own conscience that we do serve God with a pure conscience in this world as Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. 12. God knows what evil may befal us before we are a little older what temptations may await us what distresses and calamities may fall upon us happy are we if we have the testimony of a good conscience that we walk in the wayes of God and fear him and love those things that are beloved of God if we love his children his Ordinances his glory and are tender of it a good conscience tender of the commandments of God and his waâ—es is the best comfort a man can have in the world setting aside his faith in God and this is an evidence of his faith too how can we tell what may be may be the best of us may come to Davids pass you know hoâ— he was put to it once in the time of his misery and affliction he was fain to look if he could see an honest life and conversation whither he had pleased God saith he I communed with my spirit and made diligent search Pâ—al 77. 6. How have I pleased God and followed God what manner of â—e have I led he ransacked all his life and conversation and would be glad to see he had done the things pleasing to God iâ— would be more comfort thâ—n if all the Angels in heaven had spoken comfort so temptations or afâ—â—ictions may be upon us that we would be glad to see signs and tokens of Gods favour in sanctifying our hearts and making us to be obedient to his will and tremble at his word and if we cannot see these things woe unto us 1 Tim 6. 19. charge them that be rich in the world that they be not high minded c. So we do not know what times may come we had need lâ—y a good foundation for comfort against the time to come and charge rich men that they be rich in good works charge all Christians all that desire to had in the evil day to be rich in good works and abound in them and lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life Lastly Consider that your want of obedience and good works is the cause of all Gods temporal judgements why God doth stop the bottles of Heaven and turns the Earth into dust and parcheth our Corn we see God hath begun the plague among us in the principal place of the Kingdom wherefore is all this see what the Prophet saith Jer. 3. 3. therefore have the showers been withholder because you have been wicked thou hast an whores forehead and refusest to be ashamed thy carelesseness and barrenness under the means of grace thy impenitency and hardness of heart these have caused the showers to be withholden and have made God to deny the former and latter rain The second point is this As the Covenant of grace requires works so it Doctrine The Covenant of grace requires perfect works Objection requires perfect works he tells the Church of Sardis that he looks for works and perfect works but câ—nnot find them so that the second Covenant requires perfect works But you will say how can that he Paul himself that was as forward a man and had as
was right in the eyes of the Lord. You will say he had a thousand failings yet saith the Text they all stood with sincerity he numbred the people and God was mightily angry with him and you know how unjust he was in the matter of Zibah and Mephibosheth you know how he told a lye to Abimelech and was the occasion of the death of the Priests of the Lord you know how he counterfelted himself mad and he had horrible disorders in his family and had lost the power of controul over his children were not these horrible failings and what a company of Wives and Concubines had he yet all these stood with sincerity because they were either done out of ignorance or want of due consideration sometimes or through humane frailty and infirmity or through violence of temptation contrary to his constant course and intendment and purpose they might all stand with sincerity and an upright heart according to the perfection of the Gospel Fifthly The perfection of the Law makes nothing of repentance if you break the commandements of God if you shed tears of blood and repent your heart out what cares the law the law will have perfect obedience or else to hell you shall But now in the perfection of the Gospel repentance is a great matter nay if a man be never so vile and wretched if yet he humble himselfe before God and be unfeignedly sorry for sinning against God this is a great matter this man is an upright man that is unfeignedly humbled and abased before God The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart thou shalt not despise This is the voyce of the Gospel So Ezâ—k 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die As it is Joh 23. 27 28. He looked upon men and if any said I have sinned he will deliver his soule from going down into the pit In the Gospel a man is an upright man if he come before the throne of grace with shame and confusion of face for all his sins with unfeigned sorrow that he hath broken Gods Covenant if he hath never so many failings if he set himselfe to please God and when he fails he repents and humbles himself before God this man Doctrine Every man ought to labour for perfection hath the perfection of the Gospel Thus we see the meaning of the words Perfect before God The point of Doctrine is this That every man is to labour to be perfect that is the thing that God will require and enquire after at the last day whether we be upright You see this 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. and so likewise in other places of Scripture The first Reason is from the nature of God with whom we have to doe Reason 1 he is upright therefore it concerns us to labour to be like him he himselfe is an upright God and there is no unrighteousness in him his wayes are perfect and his judgments are truth therefore if a man be not perfect he cannot be like him Mat. 5. 48. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect we know his spirit is the spirit of truth himselfe is the God of truth his Son is the way the truth and the life he is the faithful witness and as God is upright so he looks that his servants should shew what Master they serve that they may make it appear that their Master is an upright Master Psalm 92. ult to shew forth that the Lord is upright This is our duty God is upright and Christ is upright and therefore we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21 22. Secondly God hath commanded us to be sincere though he remit from the first Covenant of absolute and perfect righteousness and holiness without sin ye he will have his people truly fearing him and hating sin universal in obedience that they shall be from the bottome of their hearts followers of him therefore this slung David to the heart when he committed sin O thought he Thou desirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. As who should say thou lookest into the heart thou requirest truth of thy servants O what a false heart have I had in this businesse God hath many worshippers in this world such as they are but God cares for none but such as deale faithfully in his Covenant as Christ speaks John 424. Thirdly God knows our hearts therefore though we serve him and do duties to him though we call upon his name hear his Word come to his Table observe his Sabbaths keep his Ordinances yet if we doe not doe these things in truth his eyes are ever upon our bosomes he casts his eyes upon the secrets of men if our hearts be rotten and proud and vaine and loose and filthy if our hearts be not of a right frame all is nothing if there be any way of wickednesse in us if there be any secret sins or cursed corruptions that we favour our selves in if there be any false way we secreâ—ly haunt the Lord shall search it out for the knowes the secrets of our hearts therefore it becomes us to be upright as he saith of Ephraim Hos 5. 3. I know Ephraim he is not hid from us So if we preach never so zealously and doe not according to our preaching the Lord knows â—s so if we hear never so zealously and doe not practice what we hear he knows it therefore it concerns us to be upright Fourthly Because the Lord will let down the Covenant no lower Now God hath been pleased to moderate the first Covenant which it was impossible for us to keep and hath brought it down to the Covenant of faith to believe and to be sincere in all our wayes this God requires and will let it down no lower Isa 63. 8. the Lord saith there Surely they are my people children that will not lye and so he was their Saviour So he requires his people should be children that should not lye and be base-hearted and deal deceitfully and crookedly in his Covenant he was their Saviour so they would be children that would not lye So Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love Christ in sincerity There is no man is under the Covenant of grace unlesse he be sincere in all the will of God in Jesus Christ There are two things the Covenant of grace gives the one is the forgivenesse of sins the other is a sincere heart if a man hath not these two he is yet in his sins as we may see Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man c. Fifthly The Examples of all the Saints in all Ages all the people of God that ever were upright to begin with Noah Gen. 6. 9. The text saith he was a just and perfect man in his generation You know it was in a corrupt time all the Earth had corrupted their wayes no question a man that was religious in those
watch over our souls we had need be our own Porters Matth. 13. 34. our Saviour Christ doth compare every Christian to a Porter The Lord of the house takes a great journey and commands the Porter to watch We should all be Porters and keep the gates of our Souls for we are alwayes in danger Thirdly Consider that God hath awakened many of in already and therefore We are already awakened it is a miserable thing for us to sleep again wicked and ungodly men that were never converted and healed and awakened and wrought upon they go to Hell and damnation in a sleepy security but when a man hath been once awakened and hath shaken off sleep and God hath made him look about him to see how he might be saved if this man fall asleep again it is a most miserable thing the latter end of that man will be worse then his beginning Fourthly Consider the badnesse of the Times and Places and Families Badness of the times and carelessness of the most we â—â—ve in they are all secure and therefore we had need be so much the more vvatchful and you knovv it is a very hard thing for a man not to do as others do therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 6. vvould not have them sleep as others do as vvho should say Others do so and therefore you have so much the more need to look to your selves that you may not do as others do THE NEVV BIRTH Joh. 3. 6. That vvhich is born of the Flesh is Flesh but that vvhich is born of the Spirit is Spirit MY Purpose is to speak of the several VVorks of Gods holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of his chosen they are Gods peculiar people and therefore he vvill vvork greater Mercies for them then for any else Novv the First grand distinguishing vvork of the Holy Ghost in the Elect is Regeneration he is the Author of Spiritual life in them they are born of him though by nature they are born of the flesh and so are flesh and in that estate can never enter into the kingdom of God yet vvhen the Spirit of God comes to regenerate them they come to be Spirit they come to have a nevv life and the Spirit of God gives it them it is true that Christ is the Author of this life he procured it by his death he quickens whom he will as he told his Disciples Joh. 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also Life is derived by Christ to all the Members of Christ for as all in Adam died Adam is the general root of all in his loins and by him they come to be dead in sin so Christ is the Second Adam and all that are in his loins all that are in him he is a quickning Spirit to them 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit Christ is the second Adam and is a quickning Spirit to all that are in him God the Father hath appointed him to be the Prince of Life as Peter tells his Hearers Act. 3. 15. The Lord Jesus Christ he is the Prince of life to all the people of God and therefore Saint John saith He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 12. He is the Father of this new Birth and he is the daily and continual Father of it He is not a Father for one or two or divers years but Isa 9. 6. he is called An everlasting Father to regenerate a people to God and he doth it by his Resurrection 1 Pet. 1. 3. This must needs be granted That Christ must be the Author of this new Life Now you will say Then why is it attributed to the Spirit The Text gives it to the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost now if Christ be the Author of this new Birth and the giver of this new Life and God the Father hath appointed him to be so Why is it then here said That the Spirit doth it Regeneration attributed to the spirit I Answer It is given to the Spirit for Three Reasons First Because Christ doth it by the Spirit Whatsoever Christ doth without he doth it by the Spirit when he cast out Divels here upon Because Christ doth it by the spirit Earth he did it by his Spirit all the outward VVorks that he wrought he wrought them by his Spirit and therefore the Spirit is called the Finger of God Luk. 11. 20. Now if Christ do this VVork by his Spirit if he do Regenerate all his people by his own Spirit there is Reason why they should be said to be born of the Spirit Secondly Another Reason is Because though this life be all from Christ Spirit is the bond of union between us and Christ it is he that begets it it is he that is the soul of every Believer as I may so speak yet it is the Spirit that is the Bond of Vnion it is the Spirit that joyns Christ and them together it is the Spirit that tyeth the knot it is the Spirit that unites and puts them together into one though Christ be life and eternal life yet notwithstanding they are all Aliens from Christ they are all out of Christ that the Spirit doth not joyn together with Christ they that have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his they are all out of Christ they are like dead branches out of the Vine it is the Spirit that is the bond of Vnion between Christ and those that are Christs Thirdly Another Reason is Because the Spirit quickens the Word whereby Because the spirit quickens the word whereby we are born again this is done The people of God the thing that they are born of again it is the immortal seed of the VVord 1 Pet. 1. 23. You are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible Now this seed is sowen in all mens hearts scattered among all the Congregation but yet it doth not Regenerate all the Congregation The Reason is where the Spirit comes that makes it fruitful and that makes it to quicken the heart and thus you see the meaning of the words That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Now here are Two Points First That the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost Regenerates all the people of God whosoever is born again is born of the Spirit The Second Point is this That all that are Regenerate all that are born of the Spirit they are Spirit that is they are spiritual they are like the Spirit The First is That it is the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost that doth Regenerate That the spirit of God doth regenerate all the Saints all the people of God this is that which makes them to be new Creatures to be new men to be altogether different from that they were before this is that which doth distinguish them from themselves even as much
as white from black this is that which doth alienate them from the courses of the world this is that which doth make them to be singular and odde fellows as if they were of another world this makes them lead a different kind of life and follow a different kind of way from all their neighbors because the Spirit of God works in them as Ishmael and Isaac though Ishmael was born after the flesh yet Isaac was born after the Spirit as the Apostle alludes Gal. 4. 23. that is one took one kind of course the other another one was born one way the other another way the Spirit begat one the Flesh the other and this made Ishmael to persecute Isaac because Isaac could not abide his courses they were of different Natures and Dispositions one was born after the Spirit the other after the Flesh Now here be Six Things I would shew unto you First What Regeneration is Secondly Why it is so called Thirdly Wherein it consists Fourthly The Reasons why the Spirit of God only works this work Fifthly How he works it And Lastly The Vses First What Regeneration is And it is thus much namely The renewing What Regeneration is of the whole man and by degrees completed after the Image of God in Jesus Christ This is Regeneration and there be Five Things to be opened in it First That it is the renewing of a man It is not every change there A Renewing may be abundance of changes and alterations and yet a man for the main may be the same man he is a man may be changed from a Drunkard to be sober from an Adulterer to be chaste yet still he was the same man he was before though there be changes wrought in him but Regeneration is the renewing of a man the making of a man another man as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are passed away and all things are become new The Lord doth take away the old frame and the old affections and the old inclinations the old acquaintance the old course and conversation all these things passe away and the Lord puts in new things in the room thereof till all things become new thus it is in this work as the Apostle speaks Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost the Lord removeth the old rubbish and puts a new fabrick in the room as a Goldsmith he takes a vessel of dishonour and melts it and makes it a vessel of honour God doth undo the old workmanship and makes a new as David saith Create in me O Lord a clean heart c. Psal 51. 10. David thought he had lost all therefore he prayeth to God that he may be new cast that he may be taken all to pieces as a VVatch-maker takes a VVatch that is out of order he takes it all to pieces and sets it together anew again so he prayes God to deal with him he had lost all in sense and feeling and would have God make him a new workmanship it is called the renewing of a man Ezek 11. 19. there is an excellent place I will give them a new heart c. The Lord puts out and he puts in even just as a Suister doth when she works cut-works she puts out the old heart and puts in a new heart he takes out that which was stark naught and puts in that which is good and agreeable to his mind the old heart is corrupt and the old man is stark naught there is nothing good in it these the Lord takes out and puts in all new A man is altogether naught and reprobate before what poor creatures are all people that are not Regenerate they are all proud and vain and foolish and wordly and earthly and harden their hearts and are carelesse of Gods wayes they have no fear of God before their eyes they are altogether rotten how ill-favouredly do they pray How worldly do they go on in their callings How unfruitfully do they come to Church They are all rotten and refractory they do nothing that right is now when the Spirit of God doth make them up he puts out all old things and makes them new This is the First thing Regeneration is the renewing of a man Secondly As it is the renewing of a man so it is the renewing of the whole A Renewing of the whole man man It is not only in some things for Saul was another man in some sense but Regeneration is the renewing of the whole man as the Apostle saith The God of peace sanctifie you throughout in body soul and Spirit 1 Thess 5. 23. it is a work upon the whole man our Saviour Christ compares it to leaven which a woman took and leavened the whole Lump It is like unto Original sin as Original sin infects the whole man so Regeneration doth repair and renew the whole man it is as general and universal as original sin the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse Ephes 5. 9. It is in all goodnesse in the goodnesse of a mans mind and in the goodnesse of a mans affections in the goodnesse of the inclination and dâ—sposition in the goodnesse of the whole man the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness indeed it begins in the goodnesse of the mind as the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your minds Where he calls upon them for this new work Put off the old man saith he and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds that is the First thing when a man hath a new mind given unto him a new knowledge put into his understanding a man is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. This is the first thing when God reneweth a mans knowledge and apprehension of things when a man begins to know the plagues of his own heart and the evils of all his own wayes now a man begins to see through these things and now he begins to see the wayes of God and to dive deep beneath the irksomnesse of them to know the amiablenesse of them the sweetnesse of them the delights of them are hidden from a man so long as he is unregenerate but when God doth begin to regenerate a man now he begins to discover them to him that a man seeth what they are he could say before that the wayes of God were good but he could never taste and find them so but when a man is renewed now he seeth the lustre and amiablenesse of them so also he seeth the uglinesse of sin this was covered before sin deceived the heart and carried him after it but now sin begins to be laid stark naked and a man seeth the deformity of it here begins Regeneration in the mind for the understanding is the key of the Soul the key of all the Faculties of the Soul it is like a sluce or flood gate pull up that and the water goes out and runs all abroad
so when the Lord doth pluck up this sluce and lift up a mans heart and mind and understanding now the waters of life flow into the soul this is against them now that have plenty of knowledge and yet notwithstanding go no further that have new minds and old wills and affections there is a new brain but an old heart this is not regeneration regeneration it is true begins in the understanding but it runs along in all the soul it descends into heart and mind and all the whole man and therefore it is called a new creature whosoever is in Christ is a new creature Behold I make all things new saith Christ Rev. 21. 5. As Regeneration is the renewing of a man so it is the renewing of the whole man Thirdly It is done by degrees Though Regeneration be in all parts By degrees perfected yet it is not in all degrees at once the spirit of God doth renew more and more and beget a man more and more there is of the old birth a great while but he doth eat it out more and more as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3. 18. And we all with open face c. Mark here he calls this change glory because it is a glorious creature as long as a man is not renewed he is a base creature but when he is renewed he is a glorious creature Now saith he when the Lord doth this he doth it from glory to glory from one degree to another as this is done by the spirit of God so he doth it more he proceeds from little beginnings to greater perfections it was not so with Adam God made him in his full stature at the first he was a man at the first dash but this new creature is as a Babe conceived in the VVomb it begins there and so grows up As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. He is a babe first aâ—d so growes though it be not a starveling but grovvs yet it is but a vveak one at first and must grovv and come to its strength more and more it is like a good husband that begins vvith a little and ariseth up to a great estate in the end so Regeneration makes a man a good husband puts a little stock into his hands and makes him rise to a great matter Fourthly This is according to the Image of God It is not all kind of Renewing A man may have a new work that he had not before According to Gods Image but the work of regeneration as it is a renewing so it is a renewing after the image of God man had quite and clean lost the Image of God which consisted in Righteousness and Holiness Now when Gods Spirit comes to regenerate a man that reneweth him according to this Image As the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 24. That ye put on the new man which is created after his image and how is that In Righteousness and Holiness As it is in Nature though a man be never so godly when he begets a man he begets him after his image as he is by nature polluted and unclean Gen. 5. 3. So Adam begat Seth in his own image so when the Spirit begets a man again he begets him after his own image he makes him merciful as his heavenly Father is merciful Luke 6. 36. and perfect as he is perfect Matth. 5. ult There are none regenerate and born again but those that are like God the Lord stamps upon them his own similitude and makes them like to himself Fifthly This is the Image of God in Jesus Christ who is the express image of his Father he is the pattern after which this frame is made In Jesus Christ nay God did order it should be so from eternity Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know he did predestinate that they should be conformed to the image of his Son 'T is true this similitude is not presently made out it is but by halves as it were it is but a poor first draught and never perfect in this life but it shall be made perfect 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. We know when he appears we shall be like him and shall see him as he is then we shall be perfectly like him and see him as he is and know him as he is as Paul saith Col. 3. 2 3. You are dead and your life is hid in Christ c. Here the work is hardly come to its glory there is a great deal of basenesse and old rubbish still but it shall be glorious before God hath done it shall come to be perfect then in the mean time it is but by degrees but the work of regeneration puts a man to go to Christ and believe in Christ You that follow me in Regeneration c. saith our Saviour Matth. 19. 28. When a man is regenerate regeneration puts a frame into a mans heart to be like unto Christ and to follow his steps and his example that as he hath done so he may do more and more this is the work of regeneration That the Spirit of God works in Gods people conforming them to the Image of Christ Yea Regeneration doth more than repair a man more than reduce a man to that estate wherein he was in Adam's loins before the Fall it is the ingrasting of a man into Christ and the estating a man into the Merits and Priviledges of the Lord Jesus Christ it is a greater matter then the bare restoring of a man to that which he lost it is the restoring of a man to a better estate this differences it from Sanctification Thus we see what Regeneration is Now the Second Thing is Why it is so called Why this same blessed work of the renewing of the whole man after the Image of God in Christ Why called Regeneration Jesus is called Regeneration There be Two Reasons of it First To shew us how marvellously we are corrupt by Nature Until the To shew the great Corruption of Nature Spirit of God take us in hand a man is quite rotten there is no soundnesse left there is nothing in him will serve it is not a little melting will serve the turn it is not a little plaistering or patching or piecing will do the deed though there be a thousand changes in a man yet if a man be not another man if he be not a new creature it is to no effect it will never bring a man into the kingdom of God what saith Christ Joh. 3. 3. Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God As who should say Verily verily I say unto thee a man is all to shatters all to pieces all rotten and unlesse he be born again and made a new creature it is impossible he should enter into the kingdom of God though a man be never so much altered he is not in the estate of Grace till he be a new man till the Lord hath
great deal of unnatural soyl for Grace but there is some of this good new soyl that Grace now can hold and shall hold so that the gates of Hell shall not prevail it is not for any goodnesse of the heart but for the goodnesse of Grace in the heart there may be transient acts of goodnesse in a wicked man as Prayer and such-like transient acts but when the transient act is done there is a conclusion but nature is permanent and an enduring thing it is not only to come to Prayer and then be dead to come to a Sermon and then be dead but it is a permanent thing a man is godly between Prayer and Prayer and religious between Sermon and Sermon and in all his wayes he sets himself to be good and well disposed all his dayes God complains against those that give him transient acts of goodnesse Oh Ephraim what shall I do to thee that art as a morning cloud c Thirdly If the Spirit of God hath made a man a new nature then He cannot live in Sin he cannot live in sin As the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God sinneth not c. he is born of God and it is against his nature to go on in sin a man cannot go against his nature 't is true a man for a little time may go against his nature as Moses though his nature was mild and meek yet he was transported very much Hear ye rebels and shall I bring water out of this rock He was carried away in his passion but he could not hold on in that strain for it was against his nature so if a man be overcome with any other sin yet when a man is renewed as a Spring clears it self of the mud so this new nature is so opposite and contrary to sin that he cannot go on in sin Fourthly If the Spirit of God hath wrought this work in thee Then it It is pleasant to do the will of God is pleasant to thee to do the will of God Look what a man is naturally inclined to it is marvellous pleasant to him to follow it As for example If a mans nature be gluttonous how pleasing is it for him to satisfie his Appetite And if a mans nature be given to Intemperance how pleasing is Excess unto him And if a mans nature be proud how pleasing is it to be flattered and spoken fair to be reverenced and respected at every word A man loves these thngs a-life because they suit with his nature So if a man have a new nature and partakes of the divine nature how pleasing will Prayer be And how pleasing will the Word be how pleasing will Counsels and Exhortations be how pleasing to be corrected and reproved for sin How sweet are thy words unto my mouth saith the Prophet David Psal 119. 103. As our Saviour saith Joh. 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do his Will that sent me So I have lâ—nged for thy Commandments saith David I have loved to know wherein I might glorifie thee and be serviceable to thee Now when it is irksom for a man to obey he cannot abide strictness and preciseness and he counts it a disgrace to him to deny himself in such a thing and he goeth to duty like a Bear to the Stake and he hath no forwardnesse it is a sign he hath no new nature Fifthly If a man be born again Grace will get the upper hand when Grace gets the upper hand a man meets with lusts and concupiscence of Soul though they may exceedingly bear a man down for a time and transport a man beyond himself yet in the end Grace will have the victory and prevail 1 Joh 5. 4. He that is born of God overcomes the world all temptations of the world all pul-backs and draw-backs he that is born of God he will have the mastery so 1 Joh. 5. 18. the Apostle saith The wicked one cannot touch a man that is born of God that is with a deadly touch as he toucheth wicked men he toucheth wicked men so as he infects them and poysons them and carries them away Sixthly He that is born of God he is one that loves the Children of God He loves the people of God If there be any Saint in the parish any Child of God there is his affection and bowels most I speak of spiritual affections for otherwise Grace doth not take away nature but set it up having refin'd it But I speak of spiritual love if a man be born of God himself he loves all others that are born of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten If a man loves God that begets he must needs love them that are begotten of God Lastly If a man be born again then a man labours to do good and to He loves Spiritually to profit others spread the Knowledge of Jesus Christ to the glory of God He loves to be communicating that he hath he that hath this Spirit loves to be breathing upon others and would fain scatter his sweet things up and down where he goeth and would fain leave a sweet savour of himself wheresoever he comes this is the nature of him that is born again and regenerate to beget others That man is unworthy to be born by whom another is not born as we say when a man is born again he labours to beget others to God to be generative and fruitful and abundant in doing good up and down he labours to beget his Children and Family to God and to draw his neighbours and acquaintance unto God he would fain have people know Christ and obey him and submit unto him Thus you see the signs whereby we may know Whether we be born again or no CHRISTIANS Ingrafting into CHRIST 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Grecians whether we be Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit WEE have spoken of Regeneration which is a work of the Spirit and the first implanting of a man into Christ Now we come to speak of a new work of the Spirit The implanting of a man into the Church the Body of Christ when the Spirit makes a man to be a Member of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and this is done all under one for being once ingrafted in Christ we come to be fellow-Members with all those that are Christs and this we have here in the Text By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body c. The Apostles meaning is this All we that are the people of God we are all one Body and the efficient cause of this is the Spirit of God it is by the Spirit that we are made thus and the instrumental cause though it be not here expressed yet it is implyed and that