and men Abimelech did so with respect to Abraham and Sarah Gen. 20.5 to which God gave his testimony namely that it was so indeed verse 6. Paul while unregenerate had a great deal of Moral Integrity I have says he walked in all good Conscience before God until this day Acts 23.1 Mark it I have walked in all good Conscience before God he speaks of his carriages towards God in his unconverted state To the same purpose he speaks of himself in Acts 26.4 5 9. But when he declares his sincerity and integrity in walking before God in his Regenerate State he gives us another account of it 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity or as the Greek word reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in or with the simplicity and sincerity of God we have had our Conversation and also by says he the Grace of God to distinguish his Evangelical and gracious integrity from his moral and old sincerity or integrity he had whilest a Pharisee and in an unregenerate condition And Paul further tells us in Phil. 3.6 that concerning the Law he was blameless that is he did act and walk according to his Knowledge and Conscience These seeming Graces and good works look like Regeneration special Grace and real good works but in truth they are not so These are commonly taken for such and men conclude that they are Regenerate and in a happy condition because they find such things as these in and by themselves but assuredly such good things may be in you and done by you in your unregenerate states yea you may fear God and love God and be in many things conscientious men you may love the People of God desire their Society and wish your Souls in their condition and yet be unregenerate men you may be meek humble useful and desirable men and be taken and accepted respected and honoured by and of the best of men as good and holy men and all that while be in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity therefore it nearly concerns you to be serious and diligent in examining and trying your selves whether or no you be such as you seem to be lest you continue to seem to be what you are not and so delude men and deceive your own Souls harden your selves in a presumptious confidence and flatter your selves to everlasting destruction I could have presented you with many other things that look like Regeneration but I may speak something more of this matter when I shall characterize Regenerate persons or open Regeneration on another Head 2. But I shall now give you a fuller explication of the great work of Regeneration the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies a new or second state This is a compound word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation So Regeneration is a New Birth or as Peter expresses it a being born again 1 Pet. 1.23 The word is used in Tit. 3.5 and in Matth. 19.28 In Titus it is meant of the first Regeneration or change of state here but in Matthew it may import the state of Grace here and Glory hereafter The words in the Text and in 1 Pet. 1.23 which are rendred born again are of the same import and signifie the same thing or work of God on men and so do those expressions of begetting 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 Indeed the work of Regeneration is variously expressed and set out in Scripture by many significant and divers words and phrases to shew us that it is a great and glorious work of God on sinners to commend it the more to our consideration and acceptance to explain and make it the clearer to our understandings and to quicken and perswade us to seek after it in good earnest to esteem and value it and to move Regenerate persons to much thankfulness for it and to provoke to walk worthy of it to convince men that it is too great a work for them to do that they are beholding to Free Grace and Omnipotent Power for it and to lay them low and make them vile in their own eyes Now Regeneration is exprest and set out to us in the Gospel sometimes by renewing us Col. 3.10 Heb. 6.6 sometimes by making us partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and stamping the Image of God on us Col. 3.10 Eph. 4. sometimes 't is expressed by Gods writing his Law in our hearts Jer. 31.33 Heb. 10.16 and by circumcising hearts Deut. 30.6 sometimes by shedding abroad his love and putting his fear into them Rom. 5.5 Jer. 32.39 40. as also by quickning the dead Eph. 2.1.5 Joh. 5.21.25 sometimes by Creation or creating them in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 Col. 2.10 sometimes by putting off the old man and putting on the new Col. 2.9 10. Eph. 4.22 23 24. sometimes by translation or by translating us from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 and out of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 sometimes by opening blind eyes and turning men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 sometimes by Gods working us to will and do Phil. 2.13 and working us for this self-same thing 2 Cor. 5.5 that is preparing us for another world and sometimes by calling us by his Grace Gal. 1.6 to be Saints to holiness 1 Pet. 1.14 and to newness of life Regeneration is held forth to us by such expressions and works of God in and upon us it includes all these and several other mentioned in Scripture But I have more to say for the unfolding and clearing this great truth to you who desire to learn First Regeneration Renovation or the New Birth is made up of all and every Grace of Christ I mean the seeds and first fruits of all Grace Christ imparts and infuses a measure of all his Grace in regenerating a man he opens the Fountain and Treasury of his Grace and Fulness by the hand of the Holy Ghost he conveys it into our hearts Joh. 16.13 14. yea and the Holy Spirit himself gets into men and dwells there Rom. 8.10 as I shewed you before Q. What are the Graces of Christ that constitutes and forms the New Creature or that makes the great Change Answ First Life We are all by Nature dead in sins not only as under the Damning Sentence of the Law but we are personally dead that is as the Body is dead without the Soul and Spirit that animates the Body so without the Spirit and Grace of Christ our Souls Bodies and Spirits are spiritually dead as being without spiritual life Eph. 2.1.5 Matth. 8.22 Joh. 5.25 Now when Christ Regenerates a man he infuses and conveys of his Life into him and that enlivens the whole man Hence Christ tells us that he is the Life Joh. 14.6 that he came to give Life Joh. 10.10 that he quickens whom he will and the dead shall hear
turns him out of his Throne Luk. 11.21.22 Luk. 10.18 It silences carnal self and fells down lusts Gal. 1.16 makes the old man bow down yea and all the strong-holds of sin and Satan fall before it 2 Cor. 10.4.5 It will not be baffled as common grace is for that gives place to Lusts and Temptations upon every assault but Regenerating grace is so mighty and powerful as that it takes the strongest Castles disarmes the stoutest Souldiers and levels the strongest and highest Bulworks of sin world and devil so that it effectually subdues and captivates all opposers and oppositions whatsoever and makes the whole Soul to yeild subjection to and comply with it It makes men willingly desert their old delights break their former confederacies and to put themselves under the yoke of Christ and chuse his service 3. It is a saving work of God It is not for a time as the common work of grace is Math. 13.20 21. but it is for ever Regeneration is little in the seed but grows to a great Tree Men are Regenerated for Salvation 2 Cor. 5.1 6. and it will not fail or miss of its end Regeneration is the eaâ—nest and first fruit of Salvation and Gods power is engaged to nourish and keep it to Salvation 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. therefore they cannot lose the very end of it God would never bestow the grace of Regeneration on men if he had not first designed their eternal Salvation to be obtained in that way but he having decreed and appointed designed and determined the saving of Souls by or through Regeneration all that he Regenerates shall be saved And therefore I call it the saving work of God because it shall certainly Issue in their everlasting Salvation notwithstanding their oppositions weaknesses and sins 3. The subjects of Regeneration Namely sinners that is Ignorant vile wicked and abominable men Not such as have purified themselves made satisfaction to God for former injuries such as are worthy or meet for the grace of God or such as are friends and to whom God is engaged for any goodness of theirs or service they have done him no but God of his free grace Regenerates sinners while they are yet sinners and ungodly God finds them sinners and by Regeneration makes them Saints of hateful persons he makes them lovely and beloved of enmies he makes them friends and of strangers he makes them intimates God says unto men in their blood live Ezek. 16.6 Tit. 3.3 4 5. and the vilest of sinners he washes 1 Cor. 6.9 10.11 Rom. 3.9 20. Therefore here is great encouragement for all willing sinners how vile filthy and abominable soever they have been that they may be Regenerated and made new Creatures 4. Regeneration changes and renews the whole man It is powerful and effectual on the whole body Soul and Spirit to revive quicken and renew it It affects every part and 't is influential to prosecute and obtain its ends throughout As the natural Life diffuses its self into every part of the man so doth the new Spiritual Life in Regeneration 1 Thes 5.23 The understanding is thereby enlightened 1 Pet 2.9 2 Cor. 4.6 the will is sanctified and drawn to choose and close up with the promises Christ and the Covenant of grace and with the whole will of God Isa 56.4 Psal 119.30 Psal 110.3 Phil. 2.13 Col. 2.6 The mind is Spiritualized and set on heavenly objects Phil. 3.20 2 Cor. 3. ult Rom. 8.5 The affections are quickened enlivened and run Heaven-ward being risen to a new Life with Christ Col. 3.1 2. in a word the Conscience is made tender and active to do its work and the whole of his conversation is changed all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 The grace of God hath in measure seasoned and leavened the whole man within and without there is not a faculty or member of Soul or Body untoucht but grace runs thorow every part But more of this anon For I am now but pointing out to you the parts of the definition of Regeneration 5. Regeneration is wrought by infusing a measure of the holy Spirit and special grace of Christ into a man In Joh. 3.3 men are said to be born from Heaven and vers 5. to be born of the Spirit The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 and the grace of Christ 2 Cor. 13. ult and this Spirit and grace of Christ is said to be in men Rom. 8.11 and Christ by them dwells in men Eph. 3.17 and says God in the New Covenant I will put my Spirit within them and a new heart will I give them Sprinkle clean water on them and make them clean Ezek. 36.25 26 27. So he puts his fear into mens hearts Jer. 32.39 40. and sheds abroad his love in them Rom. 5.8 A Believers new state is twofold 1. A state of Justification 2. Regeneration Justification is Gods imputing the Righteousness of Christ to him acquitting and discharging him of Guilt and Condemnation pardoning all his sins revoking the Sentence of the Law given out against him removing the Curse and remitting the punishment due to him and graciously accounting and declaring him perfectly righteous in Christ and receiving and accepting him into favour and friendship 2 Cor. 5. ult 1 Cor. 1.30 Isa 53. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. This is not Regeneration though Justification and Regeneration are never separated for Regeneration is the work of God within us Justification is the Act of God without us Regeneration is not our Justification neither is Justification our Regeneration although all that are Regenerated are also Justified There is a great difference between the one and the other which we must carefully understand and consider well lest we confound what ought to be distinguished God doth not Justifie us by Regenerating us they are two distinct Acts or works of God towards us and so we ought to understand and make improvement of them Therefore I say in defining Regeneration that it is the work of God infusing the Spirit and Grace of Christ into us that you may distinguish it from Gods Act in Justifying us for many poor Souls do miserably confound them 6. Regeneration is wrought by the Ministry of the Gospel God doth ordinarily Regenerate men by the Preaching of the Gospel By mens Preaching and hearing of the Gospel the holy Ghost is given unto men to to change their hearts and make them new Creatures Acts 10.44 Gal 3.2 The Gospel shews us that faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 that is God works faith and all other graces in men by it as in and by his own ordinance By this Instrument he begets us again to a lively hope Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.3 It is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1.16 and Christ tells us Joh. 5.25 that the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall live So Isa 55.3 This is Gods engin whereby he pulls down strong holds levels mountains and
overthrows the Devils Kingdom as the blowing of the Rams horns did fell down the walls of Jericho By this means the dead are raised to Life the blind are made to see Acts 26.18 and deaf ears are unstoped By the Gospel men are Translated out of the Kingdom of darkness into Christ's Kingdom of Light 7. God Regenerates men to and for holy and gracious ends and purposes They are created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God had before ordained that they should walk in them Eph. 2.10 That they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 That they should walk in newness of Life and not serve sin Rom. 6.4 6. God Crowns them with and makes them the subject of his special grace that they may be Agents of his glory in bringing forth fruit worthy of their new state God hath great ends in bestowing great grace and special ends in giving special grace God honours and beautifies men with his grace that they may therewith adorn his Gospel and exalt his name By Regeneration God makes men loving and lovely and meetens them for communion with himself I have I think said enough to or of the definition of Regeneration therefore shall say no more of it in this place Quest. Pray explain the great work of Regeneration more fully and shew us what those works of God on men are that do not amount to or ordinarily Issue in Regeneration that so we may clearly understand what Regeneration is not and also what it is Answ I shall first shew what t is not 2. What it is more fully First Meer light in the head is not Regeneration For men may have much Spiritual light without Spirittual Life Some are enlightened who fall away from the truth and become Apostates Heb. 6.4 5 6. and after they have known the way of Righteousness do turn from the holy commands of God to their own wicked ways 2 Pet. 2.21 22. And we read of some who knew their Lords will but did it not Luk. 12.47 which shews that they were never Regenerated Secondly Men may have many and great convictions of sin and of their miserable and wretched conditions by reason thereof they may be under much trouble of Spirit and cry out with tears and heart-grief and they may mourn and be in bitterness of Soul in the sight of their sad case and perishing state and yet all may be blown over and come to nothing but end in sin and eternal death Pharoah crys out I am wicked Exod. 9.27 and Saul saw his wickedness and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 and confessed his sin 1 Sam. 26.21 Wicked Ahab had conviction of and was greatly troubled for his sin and humbled himself 1 King 21.27 28 29. so the Israelites in the Wilderness and afterward Judas was troubled and crys I have sinned Matth. 26.3 4. yet none of them were Regenerated Thirdly Men may greatly reform their ways and look like New Creatures their Conversations may be white while their hearts are black they may have a clean outside when they are foul and abominable within they may appear beautiful to men whilest they are but whited Sepulchres and full of all manner of wickedness within Mat. 23.25 26 27 28. they may be washed and yet be still Swine 2 Pet. 2.22 and they may go for Saints amongst men whilest they are Devils within Judas was so and the Lord Jesus tells us that many go in Sheeps cloathing but are indeed Wolves Matth. 7.15 Therefore meer Reformation is not Regeneration Thou mayst forsake many sins whilest thou lovest them and perform many duties that thou lovest not but loathest Herod was a Reformer he did many good things Mark 6.20 but he was not a New Man Fourthly Thou mayst have much spiritual joy and yet be still an unregenerate man Herod heard John preach with gladness Mark 6.20 The stony-ground hearers had joy for a time in the good ways of God Mat. 13.20 Thou mayst have many tasts of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Hebr. 6.4 5. yea thou mayst have such tasts of the Heavenly Gift as to raise thy Soul to delight in drawing nigh to God in his Ordinances of Divine Worship and continue in thy unregenerate state Isa 58.2 Fifthly Thou mayst believe the truths of the Gospel and on the Lord Jesus Christ and yet be in an unregenerate state and condition Simon Magus believed when in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Act. 8.13.23 The rockie hearers did believe a while but were afterward Apostates Luk. 8.13 Christ his hearers are said to believe on him Joh. 8.30 yet in verse 44. he calls them the children of the Devil Ye are says he of your Father the Devil and his works ye will do The Hypocrites mentioned in Psal 106.12 13 14. were said to believe and so may you have Faith and believe and yet be Hypocrites still You may think you do believe aright unto Salvation when in truth you do not but delude your own Souls Sixthly Thou mayst be much in hearing and praying and yet be an unregenerate man Herod was a hearer of John Mark 6.20 Hypocrites in Ezekiel were great hearers of him and he was to them as a very lovely Song Ezek. 33.30 31 32. The three bad grounds were all hearers of the Gospel Matth. 13 18-22 but not a good hearer amongst them they were all stark naught and so mayst thou be also who art a great hearer of good men and then for praying or rather saying of prayers thou mayst pray often and long and yet be an hypocrite and an unregenerate man yea thou mayst have the gift of prayer and yet be a graceless man The Scribes and Pharisees made many and long prayers Matth. 23.14 So the hypocrites we read of in Job Chap. 27.8.10 Many make such prayers as God abhors and will not hear Isa 1.14 15. Seventhly Thou mayst be very strict and very severe in fasting and afflicting thy self and yet be an unregenerate man The Scribes and Pharisees fasted and afflicted themselves in the height of their hypocrisie Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week And wherefore have we fasted and afflicted our souls say the hypocrites in Isa 58.3 and the like they did in Babylon Zach. 7.5 6. Eighthly Thou mayst be a charitable man I mean thou mayst give much Alms to the poor and yet be an unregenerate man The Scribes and Pharisees did so Mat. 6.1 2. Luk. 18.12 Ninthly Thou mayst be a zealous man for and in Religion and yet be in an unregenerate state Paul was so before his Regeneration Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 The Jews had a zeal for God when in their blindness and hardness of heart Rom. 10.2 Thou mayst be of a warm zealous spirit even whilest thou hast a carnal unregenerate heart Tenthly Thou mayst have much Integrity and do many good things uprightly or without designed guile or fraud towards God
sin against God or wrong their own Souls God hath promised to cause men to fear him not so much for his Judgments as for his Mercy and Coâ—dness Hos 3.5 and this fear he put into the Body of Regeneration without which it will be imperfect Seventhly Humility Meekness These Graces if they are two are parts of the New Creature they are the Beauty and Ornament of the New Creature without which it would not be so amiable and lovely as now it is We are by Nature exceeding proud rugged haughty sowre and pievish Creatures but God loves a meek and humble spirit and therefore he Regenerates some with Humility and Meekness and the more men have of these the more lovely they are to God and men the more conformable to Christ who was meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 Christ will have all his Members like himself the Body must be like the Head and Christ becoming their Head in Regeneration he bestows on them his Humility and Meekness which is a part of that fulness of Grace he hath received for his Members Meekness is one of the glorious fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and one of the Graces of Christ Jam. 4.6 By Humility and Meekness Christ prepares and capacitates men for his service and communion with himself to bow and bend them to his holy will and make them obedient unto him in all things for only the Humble and Meek are such persons and walkers Eighthly Zeal Regeneration makes men zealous against sin and for God and godliness Before Regeneration men may have a zeal for God but not the Zeal it is not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 True Gospel-zeal is a glorious Grace of Christ infused into men in Regeneration and that in pursuance of one of the great ends of Christ his death Tit. 2.14 He gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works Before men are Regenerated they are zealous for their own gain honour pleasure and superstition but Regeneration makes them zealous for God with the Zeal of God As soon as Paul was converted he shewed himself a true and great Zealot indeed for Christ Grace Holiness and the Souls of men It is holy Gospel-zeal that makes men active for God and puts them forward to follow their Light Light in the Head without Zeal in the Heart may fill men with notions of duty but never make them Practitioners of duty they may know the Will of God but they will not they cannot be perswaded to do it 't is true that Zeal without knowledge is not good and as true that knowledge without zeal is unprofitable Christ hath a fulness of zeal for men and in Regeneration he imparts it to them Ninthly Prayer In Regeneration Christ infuses the Grace and Spirit of Prayer as soon as Paul was Regenerated behold he prayeth Acts 9.11 He had often prayed before for he was a zealous Pharisee and concerning the Law he was blameless Phil. 3.6 but he never prayed aright until he was Regenerated for then Christ gave him the grace of Prayer he could then pray with Grace in his heart and then not till then behold he prayeth There are none can pray spiritually but New Creatures for the voice of Nature is the voice of the flesh and what is of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 and that voice God is not pleased with and heareth not but it is the voice of the New Creature which is formed and made up of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that God heareth and delighteth in Pro. 15.8 Therefore God promiseth to give unto men in Regeneration the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. 12.10 that they may thereby be enabled to pray unto God holily and acceptably 1 Pet. 2.5 Rom. 8.26 27. God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. and therefore he spirits them in Regeneration so to do Men may speak great and good words and make plausible and seemingly good prayers from light in their heads and other common spiritual gifts without Regeneration but they are but fleshly cold dead and loathsome prayers because they proceed not from a Divine Root and Spring they are dead their hearts are dead and therefore their prayers must needs be dead prayers which the Living God abhors Isa 1. But now Regeneration opens their hearts and tongues enlivens and quickens them puts a heavenly Principle into them so that now they can speak to God with new tongues and hearts now they can pray in Faith and Hope with spiritual and lively affections and in obedience to the Will of God Tenthly Self-denial Men are by Nature altogether selfish they are wholly devoted to the service of the flesh and set upon fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Eph. 2.3 Rom. 8.5 Phil. 3.19 But God lays in Self-denying grace on their hearts in Regeneration so that now they can deny themselves of their ease pleasures profits opinions relations peace and all their once beloved Interests whatsoever for God Holiness Truth and the welfare of their own Souls They can and that upon choice displease themselves to please God they can willingly be nothing that Christ may be all in all things Col. 3.11 yea they would be the Footstool of Christ to exalt him and set him on the Throne Regeneration makes them account their all too little for him as before they accounted a little too much for Christ This is the great term on which we receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 Luk. 9.23 and by Regeneration he gives them power and will to do it Psal 110.3 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 6.44 45. This Regeneration wrought in Paul Gal. 1.16 I consulted not with flesh and blood says he that is as soon as he was Regenerated Christ sent him to preach the Faith which before he had zealously destroyed vers 23. and that amongst the barbarous Heathens where was much danger and in the doing of which he should meet with many difficulties as he did yet he immediately yielded up himself to the Will of Christ and laid his own in the dust So when Christ called Peter and Andrew they straightway left all and followed him Matth. 4.18 19 20. and after ward Matthew did the like he presently left his gainful Trade at the Custom-House and followed Christ Matth. 9.9 So the Disciples tell Christ Luke 18. that they had left all and followed him and the grace of Self-denial is given to all Regenerate persons in the very moment of their Regeneration Eleventhly Sincerity This is the general grace or that which is the Salt that seasons and makes as it were all other grace good and singular Gospel-sincerity is the holy spiritual Leven that runs through the whole Lump or Body of the graces of Christ given in Regeneration it is not properly one single grace but it is rather the grace of all other graces 't is that which makes
his coming Matth. 24.44 Luke 12.35 36. 2 Pet. 3.11 12. Matth. 25.10 11 12 13 14. that he may praise and commend her bless and reward her Revel 19.7 Matth. 24.46 Now this cannot be done without Regeneration for that is their Ornament Beauty Honour and Glory Without Regeneration they are not fit for Contraction much less can they make themselves ready for the great Wedding day and the glorious Solemnity and state thereof The Lord Jesus will have but uncomely black and dirty Spouses of us without Regeneration notwithstanding our Election 2 Full and everlasting fruition of and Communion with the great and holy God This is the promised and designed state and portion of all Gods Elect number and this they are and shall be fitted for by Regeneration Election is the designing and appointing us to that happiness Regeneration is the preparing and meeting us for the enjoyment of it Election is the causes or Spring of Regeneration and Regeneration is the fruit of Election but the fruition and eternal enjoyment of God in Heaven is the end of both Men are no more capable of living in the presence and enjoyment of God in their state of sin than Swine are to live in a Kings Palace or Earthly Bodies in the Sun Regenerate persons shall meet the Lord in the Air and for ever be with him 1 Thes 4.17 They shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 and face to face as Paul speaks 1 Cor. 13.12 and they shall live with Christ for evermore in perfect holiness joy and glory Matth. 25. ult But this men cannot do nor obtain without Regeneration 1. Because of the unsuitableness of unregenerate mens hearts unto so glorious a state of holiness honour and dignity 2. Because God is a holy God He is glorious in Holiness yea Holiness its self and no uncircumcised heart can be admitted into his presence and men in their unchanged states are an abomination unto him who is the Fountain of Holiness 3. Because it is Gods own Ordinance which shall stand fast to all Generations namely that Regeneration shall precede and prepare the way to Glory and the everlasting fruition and enjoyment of God John 3.3.5.7 Rom. 8.29 30. It is Gods filed stated way with men that they must have their fruit unto holiness here before they can enjoy Communion in Heaven with him hereafter and it is Regeneration that puts men into a state of holiness here to qualifie and prepare them for Eternal Glory and Communion with the Father and Son in another World Thus I have presented you with the first grand reason or ground of the necessity of Regeneration namely the uses and ends God designs men to in their first and second Creation Now in the second place I am to shew you the necessity of Regeneration from the state whereinto Sin hath plunged us or by shewing our weakness wilfulness averseness and utter inability to obtain and prosecute those holy Ends of God without Regeneration Both Scripture and Experience will afford us sufficient proofs of this First then we are in gross and palpable darkness as hath been shewed we are in our sinful state not only in the dark but we are in darkness Eph. 5.8 This is called gross darkness to shew that it is exceeding great Isa 60.2 yea it is said that we are full of darkness and in great darkness Matth. 6.23 And the god of this World is said to bring us into and keep us in it 2 Cor. 4.4 It is such a darkness and blindness as that men know not where they are what they are nor where they are going How then can they answer or prosecute Gods Ends in Creating them in his own Image without Regeneration and therefore they stand in absolute need of Regeneration to make them Children of Light Eph. 5.8 such as the Apostle tells us the Thessalonians were by Regeneration 1 Thes 5.5 Men are commanded to walk as Children of Light 1 Thes 5.8 which Regenerating Light enables them to do It is only Regenerating Light and Knowledge that shews men the way wherein they should walk and the things that they should believe and do in order to Eternal Happiness and without which they stumble fall and perish 2 Let us take a further view of the condition and the utter incapacity we are in by Nature to answer or reach the ends of our first Creation and the ends and uses which God designed us to in forming and making us in his own Image and Likeness that thereby we may see the necessity of Regeneration for the restoring us in measure to our Primitive state and capacitating us to attain those ends and serve his designs which we are on many accounts indispensably bound to do I shall therefore present your unregenerate condition unto you for your conviction and quickning yet further and that with all possible brevity 2. We are by sin fallen from God and become real strangers to him we have lost him in the Fogs of Lusts and Blindness Ever since we were cast out of Paradise for sin we have been wandring in the Wilderness and howling Desarts and are Strangers and Forreigners to God and our selves Eph. 2.12.19 and also to all happiness and true blessedness 3 By Nature we are averse and unwilling to know our states sins and wickedness our misery and wretchedness and the right way to obtain deliverance from and out of them as also to know Christ and true Holiness and most of all to close comply and joyn Issues with God in his own way for our Salvation For although we are exceeding sinful and wretched and God hath told us so plainly and particularly and hath also shewed us the way to escape held out the Golden Scepter to us and proffered us his Hand to help us out yet we shut our eyes and stop our ears against him and his favours and refuse to accept his kindness and gracious proffers until Regeneration changes us and gives us new Spirits Matth. 23.37 Joh. 5.4 Pro. 1.24 ult 4 By Nature we are most vile filthy abominable and loathsome Creatures laden with sins lying in our blood unwashed full of all manner of Leprous spots and accursed Plague-sores hateful and contemptible compared to Dogs Swine Serpents Vipers and Adders Oh how doth the Holy Ghost in Scripture set us out and decipher us Rom. 3 10-20 Tit. 1. ult Rev. 3.17 Rev. 22.11.13 Matth. 23.33 Ezek. 16 2-11 Isa 1. Matth. 7.6 Eph. 2. with innumerable other like them 5 By Nature we are without strength we are as weak as water we are so impotent as that we cannot help our selves nor do any thing aright that God commands for by sin we lost all our spiritual strength and ability to do good or obey any Command of God By sin we depraved and deprived our selves of Light Life Holiness Strength and whatever was created with or given to us in our Creation and first make all is demolished and ruined Rom. 5.6 Rom. 8.3 Therefore in Regeneration
Robbing God and his soul of their due Aptness and Proness of heart to close up and fall in with temptation to Sin His Passion Anger Wrath Peevishness Vanity Frothyness Carnal Security departing of the heart from God and Duty and an aversness to it to envy and grudge at others prosperity and to revenge wrongs or injuries received from men and whatever other evils 〈◊〉 finds the heart enclined to so likewise its want of spiritualness of heart freedom and cheerfulness in the worship and service of God Also its hardness of heart unprofitableness under the means of Grace and unusefulness in the world These and many other lusts and sins are its burdens they oppress press him down These are the Mountains that lay on the back of the new Creature and it earnestly longs for and desires deliverance from them all Moreover they are greatly burdened with the Treachery and deceitfulness of their hearts their fears doubts and distractions in duty their want of heavenly mindedness love to God delighting in him and his service They are burdened and smart under the sense of the impurity of their hearts and great insensibility of Mercies and because God is not honoured and glorified by them as he should be They are burdened because their Lusts are so strong and powerful as that when they would do good they cannot And as they are burdened with these and many other Evils of their own so they feel a great weight in others sins likewise Rivers of waters run down their Eyes because other men are Transgressors of Gods I am Psal 119.136 And says Paul who is weak and I am nor weak 2 Cor. 11.29 And ye are puffed up and have not rather Mourned 1 Cor. 5.2 You should have been afflicted in Spirit for your Brothers sin because God was dishonoured and his Gospel Blasphemed his People shamed and the world stumbled by reason of it Now they are burdened wounded and bleed under the sense of wicked mens prophaneness debauchery and contempt of the Gospel of Christ But they are mostly wounded with the evils and miscarriages of Professours and such as they hope are the People of God Their Pride Worldliness Frothyness Back-bitings negligence and carelesness in the matters of God their censorious and rash Judgings of one another their want of Love Kindness and Charity to each other and their brawlings and contentions one with another and their coldness and lukewarmness in Religion with other their sins do deeply wound and pierce them to the heart and that because they are a shame and dishonour to their Father Husband and Head his Name and People and because him whom they love and honour is not glorifyed in and by them And further as they are burdened and wounded with other sins and miscarriages so likewise with the Reproaches and other sufferings of good Men. Who is afflicted and I burn not says Paul 2 Cor. 11.29 Their Brethrens Bonds are their Bonds Heb. 13.3 their Reproaches Pains Losses Poverty Weaknesses and Persecutions are their own They are in Pain Bonds Poverty c. with them They have Spirits to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 16. And it must needs be so because they are Fellow-Members of the same Spiritual Body joyned to Christ their Head and if they are not sympathizers with and Fellow-feelers of each others Afflictions it is certain they are not living but dead Members whatever they profess themselves to be or pretend to 1 Cor. 12.25 26 27. read and ponder that Scripture New Creatures have a feeling of many other Burdens also The Temptations of the Devil snares and allurements of the world are their heavy and grievous Burdens They grown under them and earnestly desire to be delivered from them They find by woful experience that the Devil shoots his Fiery Darts at them and labours Night and Day by his Wiles to draw them from God and to entangle them in Sin Eph. 6. They know that he hath his Devices or Methods 2 Cor. 2.11 and that he doth like a Lyon walk up and down seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 and therefore are fain to be always on their guard to keep Watch and Ward against him Nighâ— and Day that he surprize them not and draâ— or tempt them to Sin They know that he 〈◊〉 a subtle and strong Enemy and how he haâ—â— prevailed over good men and caused them 〈◊〉 sin As David Peter and others and therefore they are afraid of him knowing their dangeâ— and the evils he may stir and move them unto if he should prevail The World likewise namely the good things of it are in soâ— sense burthensome to him not as they 〈◊〉 good things but as they are powerful to Sâ—duce and insnare the mind and affections draw them from God and Heavenly thing To carnalize the Mind deaden or cool 〈◊〉 Affections and take off the Spiritual taste favour and relish of Heavenly things the heart from duty and serious striving to enter is at the straight Gate Luk. 13.24 The world is like Pitch to our evil natures we can hardly touch it without being defiled with it like coals of fire in the bosome that will burn us and like a hedge of Thorns that will prick and tear us as experience shews The Lord Jesus knows how dangerous and pernicious the good things of this world would be to his disciples Souls and therefore charges them to take heed and beware of them lest at any time Mark it lest at any time you be insnared with them Luk. 21.34 2. As the feeling sense is sensible of smarts and cries out under the burdens and weights of these evils so it is deeply sensible of the great love and Grace of Christ to him he is heartily affected with his Rich mercy Eph 2. â— and the unsearchable Riches of Gods Grace to him Evil and good Grace and Sin affect him he is not onely deeply sensible of what he is and hath done to God but what God is to and hath done for him he is affected with the best things as well as the worst with matters of joy as well as sorrow he hath his Eye as well on the bright side of the Cloud as on the dark side of it and he is impressed with Gods goodness and holyness as well as with his own badness and vileness he takes in one as well as another and both make powerful impression on his feeling Sense The same Sense is capable of joy and Sorrow and there are in his view suitable objects and matters for both and he is really sensible of both But I hasten Fourthly Hearing New Creatures have a new Sense of Hearing The hearing Sense is appointed and given to men to receive and take in words spoken without which they know not what is spoken to them Now as men have the natural sense of hearing so Regenerate Persons have a new spiritual sense of hearing given them in Regeneration until then they are
said to be Deaf Psal 58.4 Isa 42.18 19. although they had not lost their natural Sense of hearing yet the Scripture saith they were Deaf why because they had not Spiritual Ears to hear hence the Lord Jesus speaking to the Asian Churches bids such as had Eares to hear what the Spirit spake unto them Revel 2. and 3. Chapters Clearly implying that there were some among them that had not this Spiritual Sense of hearing the Voice of the holy Spirit but that there were others that had it And the Prophet tells the Jews that there were some that had Eares but were Deaf Isa 43.8 that is they had the natural but not the Spiritual sense of hearing the voice of God by his Prophets This Spiritual hearing sense imports not onely a hearing and taking in the words or matters they hear but also understanding them and receiving them into the understanding will and affection Ezek. 40.3.4 2 Thes 2.10 Pro. 7.1 Pro. 10 14. They are ready and swift to hear Jam. 1.19.21 Let Christ speak to them what he will they can and will hear him Speak Lord for thy servant heares 1 Sam. 3.2 is the language of his heart and Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9. doth God or good men instruct admonish exhort reprove charge rebuke them their Eares and hearts are open and ready to hear and receive it to love and understand it to keep and practice it or to improve all to the will of God Regenerate Persons are the good ground hearers Luk. 8.15 Math. 13. They have Eares to hear hearts to receive and understand what is revealed to them yea to keep and hold it fast convert the word into profit and turn all into the practice of Godlyness They and they only have learnt the mystery and Spiritual Art of hearing They are the only Wise Serious Humble Diligent Circumspect Careful Reverend Watchful Sincere Profitable and good Hearers They are taught to please and honour God better and advantage their own Souls in and by hearing They are the Persons and none but they who hear in hearing who do truely and faithfully endeavour to hear Christ in hearing of men and to hear that voice behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it which is promised in Isa 30.20.21 They are the men who do indeed make blessed earnings of hearing and who do unfainedly intend design and carry on right high and holy ends in hearing namely to know Christ his Will Grace Spirit Benefits Covenant and Promises to know themselves their Sins Deceits and Errors their increase or decrease in Grace and practical Godliness and to know how they ought to believe and carry themselves towards God and men in all conditions States and Relations better more clearly and Spiritually that so they may walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing and be fruitful in every good work adorn the Gospel of Christ and beautify their holy profession These are the men who hear that they may be cleansed and washed that they may be quickened to and strengthened in their duty and that their lusts may be destroyed by the word of Grace Joh. 15.3 Joh. 17.17 Eph. 5.25.26 2 Cor. 10.4.5 And that they may as in the Lords own way and appointment meet with Christ and Christ with them to express their dependance on and subjection to him and that they may be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 This is the hearing Ear and understanding heart that is rarely to be found in the world Fifthly Smelling In the natural body there is the Sense of Smelling so there is in the new Creature also Christ is full of sweet smells and Savours fitted and suited to a believers new sense and Christ hath provided for and given them a sense capable of receiveing and resenting it which adds much to their strength and Comfort and renders the Lord Jesus more sweet lovely and acceptable to them For the more senses they have to draw and take in of Christs Person Grace and lovelyness to themselves the more they get from Christ and the more pleasing and desirable he must needs be to them had the patural man only two or three senses to apprehend and take in objects and the good of them his life would not be so comfortable because as then many of the Creatures would be vain and useless to him so he would live without the use and comfort of them that are suited to the senses he wants and which he cannot receive nor take comfort and delight in without them And men are naturally best pleased and most satisfyed with variety of objects and matters It is much more so in Spiritual and heavenly matters and things Spiritual men love and delight much in heavenly varieties and therefore to delight and satisfy them to endear their Souls to Christ and incourage them in their Duty to him he hath given them many senses or subjects capable of apprehending and taking in variety of heavenly matters and things and that is not all but he hath also graciously provided all suitable varieties for them and presents them freely to their acceptance Thus Christ is to them a sweet smelling Savour Eph. 5.2 his death was so to God and his Person Graces and Benefits are so to them Cant. 5.13.2.13 Their Persons love and obedience are a sweet smelling savour to Christ Cant. 4.10.11 And so is Christ unto them Cant. 1.3 and it is powerful to excite and draw forth their strongest and dearest love to Christ Because of the savour of this good Oyntments therefore do the Virgins love thee And as it excites and draws forth their love to Christ so it gladdens and refreshes the hearts of new Creatures Psal 45.8 All thy Garments smell of Myrth c. whereby they have made thee glad Thus I have briefly run over and presented you a few considerations of the New Creature his spiritual senses what they are and of their nature work use and end to help you to make a true Judgment of your selves whether you are new Creatures indeed or only in name and pretence And be assured of this that if thou art indeed a Regenerate person thou mayest in some degree especially at sometimes find these spiritual senses in thee And if thou canst find them in any degree in thee thou mayest conclude that thou art a Child of God and really Regenerate For it is certain that unregenerate persons have them not in them but are real strangers if not Enemies to them and such as regard them not neither do they find them in any degree or measure in themselves they are in an unregenerate state and condition And that they have not these senses is evident for they are dead blind hard and wholly carnal as hath been shewed already And so much of the first Mark or Character of a new Creature I shall briefly dispatch the rest and then proceed to other heads propounded Secondly If thou art a new Creature indeed thou
regenerated in comparison of Jesus Christ his Gospel Names and Glory Self-denial and Christ exalting is one of the first Lessons he Learns and the first work and concern he is busied about Assoon as Paul was regenerated his heart was raised up to this duty bent and resolvedly set upon it and without delay prosecuted it Lord says he what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9.6 and he tels us that assoon as he knew his Lords will he consulted not with flesh and blood that is with self ease and safety no but presently fell to work namely to exalt Christ save Souls and enlarge his Masters kingdome Gal. 1.15 16. Paul did immediately joyn Issues with Christ and freely and fully closed up with his Terms propounded by himself to all that will be his disciples Mark 8.34 Luk. 14.26 27. Luk. 18. and believe it so it is with you if you are his Disciples indeed Joh. 8.31 if you are born again of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 Christ Jesus the Lord is pretious in your Eies and high in your esteem your Lives Estates Honours Liberties Dignities and Relations are small matters to you in comparison of Christ his name Gospel and Interests And therefore your desire choice design aime scope and endeavours are all to greaten magnify and exalt him As he is the fairest of ten thousands unto you so you desire chuse and labour that he may be so by you It is a fixed principle in your hearts a stated Case in your Judgments and Consciences and a setled frame and bent of your Souls There is nothing in the World more pleasing and acceptable to you and there is not any thing that more refreshes your mindes and delights your hearts then this that you have a Christ to Glorify and that you may Glorify and Honour him The new Creature is formed for Christ to be and live 〈◊〉 the praise of his Glorious Grace Eph. 1.6.12 They see and acknowledge when Regenerated that they are no more their own but born again that they might Glorify God with their â—odies and Spirits which are the Lords 1 Cor. 6.19.20 and that they that live should live wholly to him who hath Created them in Christ Jesus unto good workes 2 Cor. 5.15 Eph. 2.10 One of the first questions or enquiries of the new Creature is how and wherein he may live to God please and honour him and bring forth fruit whereby he may be glorifyed Joh. 15.8 it is the great case and interest their hearts and souls are concerned in and they are grieved when they cannot reach it but receive or count it matter of joy when he is really loved honoured and exalted by any especially when they can do it themselves It is so natural to new Creatures or Regenerate men and they are so interessed in and with Jesus Christ his concerns as that they take and account what is done to or against him is done to or against themselves They are like the Lord Jesus their head in this too Namely that what iâ— Christs Indignity is theirs and what is Christs glory and honour is theirs also His reproach and honour lays nearer their hearts then any or all their own Earthly and Bodily concernments The Lord Jesus accounts his Peoples Reproaches Indignities Prosperity and Happiness his own such is his great love and respects to and care of them Isa 63.9 Acts 9.5 Math. 10.42 Math. 25.40 Zach. 2.8 If they be honoured he is so if they be abused he is abused and if they suffer he doth so to In all their Afflictions he is afflicted And as it is with Christ in their concerns so it is in measure with them in Christs concerns Is his Name Gospel and Worship under a cloud of contempt and reproach it is matter of grief and mourning to them and when they are loved exalted and dignifyed it is their glory and joy Phil. 5.17 Psal 119. And that it is so indeed may farther be evidenced 1. From their near Relations New Creatures or Regenerate men are the Children of God He hath begotten them by his Grace and Gospel Jam. 1.18 1. Pet. 1.3.14 and all ingenious Children will concern themselves in and with their Fathers honour and indignity and naturally seek to advance and exalt them all they can or ought to do How much more doth the Divine nature and Spirit of God in Believers prompt and instigate them to do so to their heavenly Father and that by all the wayes and means they may 2. They are the Spouses of the Lord Jesus and he is their Husband Cant. 2.16 2 Cor. 11.2 Jer. 3.14 Christ hath chosen and taken them to himself Hosea 3.2 3. to be his loving and affectionate Brides Joh. 15.16 and they have chosen and taken him to be their Husband and become one with himself The Lord Jesus Regenerates men to make them capable of chosing him for theirs and to make them meet for this Conjugal Relation And they have in their hearts the love and respects in part that are due to such a Relation as Christ is 3. They are related to Christ as members to the head He is their head and they are his members Eph. 5.23.30 And therefore they must needs have his nature and spirit to desire and naturally design intend and indeavour to exalt and honour him The members of the natural body do naturally honour their head and the head doth the same to the members 1 Cor. 12.26 So it is in the mystical head and body And it cannot but be so because of the oneness and mutual simpathy that is between them So then if you are new Creatures you are members of Christ and if members of Christ then you simpathize with Christ His reproach is yours and his honour is yours and you have a natural frame bent and disposition of heart to honour exalt and magnify him all you can and it is your delight joy to do it 2. Love esteem and respects that are in these Relations and flow from them to Christ do prompt and stir you up to Desire Chuse Design and endeavour to honour and exalt him Their strong and endeared love to and high esteem of him provokes and moves them to study project watch and labour all they can to please honour and exalt him The love of so many near and great Relations as they stand in to him must needs be very strong and fervent being in one subject They love and esteem him as their loving sweet and kind Head Father Husband as their Redeemer Teacher Comforter Crowner and Eternal Saviour and therefore they cannot but seek and endeavour his honour and exaltation They have eyes enlightned to see a transcendent Worth and glorious Excellency Beauty and Majesty in Christ and they see him As worthy of all Acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 so of all glory and exaltation Neither Christ or his Excellencies are hid from them but the Glory of them do so shine into their hearts as greatly to draw forth their Hearts Tongues
and hate what we should Love We Love Gods enemies and hate his friends we hate his Laws Rods Yoke Waies People and love our Lusts the World Self and the Service of sin But Regeneration sets holy and God Pleasing Love and hatred in us So that now by the power of his Regenerating Grace we love that which we should love and hate that we should hate that which was our duty to have done before now we can do Now we can and do love holiness and hate loath and abhor our lusts and sins Now we hate the workes of the flesh and love the workes of the Spirit And as the passion of love is strong and intense on its Objects so is this of hatred likewise The man in whom this new holy hatred is did never more really heartily and fervently love his lusts and the fulfilling of them than he doth now hate abominate and endeavour to destroy them 1. Cor. 9. ult Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs namely by Regeneration have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts David tells us that this Affection or Passion was strong in him as well as that of love Psal 119.104.113 I hate every false way and I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Blessed Paul Speaks likewise to the same purpose of himself Rom. 7.15 But what I hate that do I. I do sin its true But I can say that my sin is the great and only Object of my hatred that 's as true also God hates all Iniquity in all men Psal 45.8 Ja. 44.4 and he puts the same Affection or passion into his people in Regeneration that they may hate it also All sin is exceeding sinful loathsome and abominable to the new creature for its own sake in its own nature and as it is hateful to God The evil and pernitious effects and Consequences of it makes or renders it the object of their constant hatred also They that are Spiritual minded and are in the pursuit after Grace Christ and Holyness to perfect it is the fear of God as Commanded 2. Cor. 7.1 do hate their sin because it hath deprived them of and spotted the Image of God in which they were created Gen. 1.26 2 Because it hath robbed God of his due Worship and Service for which he Created them 3 Because it hath occasioned the great debasement and Suffering of the Lord Jesus For had not men Sinned Christ had not Suffered 4 Because it grieves and vexes the holy Spirit of God Isa 63. Eph 4.30 5 Because sin devides and separates between God and them Isa 59.1.2 6 Because it doth defile and pollute all their holy things and would quite marr and spoyl them did not their great High Priest appear for them to purifie their Offerings Exod. 28.38 7 Because Sin doth clog and burden them so as that they cannot Run their Race nor do that good they desire and are resolved to do in this world Heb. 12.1 Rom. 7. 8 Because their sinful hearts draw them off from God and indisposes them to and for their walking with God 9 Because it betrays them into the hand of their great Adversary the Devil and strengthens him against them 10 Because by sin God is dishonoured and his holy Name blasphemed his Truths despised and his blessed ways rejected These and such like considerations of sin greatly provokes and stirs up the holy hatred of sin in all Regenerate men as they can experience There is in them a universal perpetual and irreconcilable hatred of all sin especially such of their own sins as do more easily beset them Heb. 12.1 They hate the very name and appearance of sin all the Germents spotted with the flesh Jude 23. They dare not knowingly parly or hold correspondency with sin because the thought or consideration of it is most hateful and abominable 3. Fear New Creatures are the only real fearers of God The all-seeing Eye the Holiness Righteousness Goodness and Authority of God do awe them and cause them to fear and tremble before him Hosea 3.5 Isa 66.1.2 Jer. 32.39 40. They do now approach nigh to God and worship him with a holy and Godly fear and are enabled to walk in the fear of the Lord all the day long Psal 2.11 Heb. 12.28 Prov. 23.17 They are afraid of sin and temptations to it and dare not knowingly and deliberately come nean them but avoid and eschew the appearances and occasions of evil They are more afraid of the cause then the effects the sin then the punishment The thoughts of their danger they are always in and their aptness and proneness to transgress by reason of the deceitfulness and treachery of their hearts the strength and power of Lusts snares of the World and Satans fi◠〈◊〉 Darts do make them jealous fearful circumspect and watchful They see such a Majesty Excellency and glorious Presence in the holy God and Jesus Christ in his Names Offices Obedience Blood Love and Grace in his Laws Promises Ways and Ordinances which causes them to fear and reverence them erceedingly Psal 89.7 4. Hope Hope is another holy Passion or Affection in the New Creature Their hope is set on God the Father and Christ his Son Psal 78.7 Tit. 2.13 and on all the good things held out to them in the Promises called the blessed Hope Tit. 2.13 They have Christ in them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 and they have Christ without them with all his fulness in the Covenant and Promises and in Heaven for them as their hope Every man hath the natural passion of hope but gracious men have the spiritual hope They hope for all the good of the covenant of grace fullness of Christs Grace and whatever may make them holy hear and happy hereafter The natural hope of unregenerate men is a groundless hope and the great things it is exercised about are but vain perishing worldly things and groundless hopes for a happiness heareafter Job 8.13.14 hence they are said to be withâ—â—â— hope in the world because they want the real spiritual and well grounded hope Eph. 2.12 1 Thes 4.13 But Regenerate men have a holy spiritual and well grounded hope and they by out and cast the Anchor of their hope on â—â—â—ings that are sure and unmovable on spiritual heavenly Soul-saving and eternal matâ—â—s and their hope is impressed provoked â—â—eng thened and quickned by them to hope more strongly steadily and constantly for the enjoyment of them They hope to obtain eternal Life in the Lords own way Tit. 1.2 not in the wayes of their own evil hearts as other men do They hope for the coming of Christ the exaltation and setting up of his Kingdome themselves to be like him and to see 〈◊〉 as be is 1 Joh. 3.2.3 Tit. 2.13 They hope for more light life and holiness from Christ and for greater measures of his Spirit to be poured out upon them in this world and they hope for more and more joy and peace in Believing Rom. 15.13
sweetest and most pleasant of all things to the Tast yea altogether sweet if his fruit be so much more is he himself But his fruit the dropping of his Grace is so Cant. 2.3 How much more sweet must himself be unto Believers who is the Root and fountain of all those drops or friuts Zach. 13.1 Revel 22.16 Christ is the desire of all these new senses as he is said to be of all Nations Habak 2.7 And he is most desirable to the Tast He is the bread of Life that came down from Heaven Which is meat indeed for he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever Joh. 6.48.50.51.55 Christ is the most pretious desirable sweet bread that ever any did eat It hath such a pleasant relish savour and comforting quality it doth so refresh and cherish the Soul of a Child of God as that he greatly disires it longs after it Covets to get and keep it and as it were impatiently seeks and waits for it It is so good as that it will never surfeit him all other things how good and pleasant soever they be are nothing to him without this This is the great dish that makes the Word Ordinances and all other dishes a feast indeed 'T is that which relishes and makes all other food sweet nourishing excellent and delightful Hence they cry out in the fullnesse of all other things if they find not Christ there Oh! where is Christ let him come into my Garden my Soul the best and only dish that should feast us and satisfy us is not here till he come I cannot eat nor be Satisfyed Cant. 4. ult Saith a gracious heart Let Christ be my bread and I shall be fully satisfyed he is my all in all things Coll. 3.11 and without him I cannot may not will not be satisfyed Oh! give me Christ in all or I dye for my Soul will Wither and famish whatever else I have whatever else I feed upon But Christ alone if it so please him will satisfy me though he give me nothing else 5. Experiences are sweet and pleasant to the Taste They are invaluable mercies when new Creatures can bring forth out of their Treasures new and old experiences and say this and that I have found This Assistance I have found in such a duty and that comfort I have found in that duty In such a strait I found such and such seasonable helps supports and deliverances When I was sad I found God comforting me In doubt of my state I found God saying to me be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee When my heart was hardened by Sin he melted it and when much straitened and shut up he enlarged it when the guilt of my Sins lay heavy on my Conscience he applyed the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 and so relieved and eased me and when I thought he was angry with me and had shut out my Prayers he answered them Oh how sweet are these and such like experiences to the Tast of new creatures I could give you an account of many more had I time This spiritual sense hath a thirsting appetite It is always with accompanied a hungering and thirsting Appetite after all Spiritual and Heavenly things that he knows or thinks may be good for him he hungers and thirsts after Christ his Blood Grace Righteousness Ordinances Word Experiences Heaven and the presence of Christ and when he findes them Oh how sweet comfortable and pleasing are they Then he saith now is my Soul satisfyed as with marrow and fatness my Soul shall praise thee with joyful Lips Psal 63.5 2. As he Tasts and hath a hungring and thirsting appetite after Spiritual things so it loaths and nausiates the Sins vanities and follies that he once delighted in and fed himself withal he can neither tast nor digest them they are no waies toothsome to him but odious hateful and abominable They are now as filthy poyson to him As meat wherwith a man hath surfeited himself is to him so are these Sins and vanities unto a new Creature They are all like nasty stinking Carrion to him he abhorrs the sight smell and taste of them and cannot endure they should be nigh him The very thoughts of them are grievous to him Psal 119. Roâ— 7. They shall be no more his food but loathing They were never so sweet as now they are bitter to him 1 Jer. 2.19 They were once his pleasant Bread but now his bitter Poyson They were his Suger and Honey wherewith he was delighted but now they are Gall and Wormwood to him His stomack raises up against them and he can no more endure them nor be reconciled to them Thirdly Feeling Feeling is another Sense of the new Creature For as the natural man hath the Sense of feeling what doth touch or burden it so hath the new Creature the like Sense too The new creatures feeling sense is sensible of and burdened with many evils weights and oppressions that he is afflicted withal But first not with the Yoke and Service of Christ The Old man indeed is greatly burdened with it and complaines sadly of the tediousness and wearisomness of it Mal. 1.13 and when will the Sabboth be gone Amos 8.5 But the new Creature is not afflicted with nor weary of it but findes it and accounts it as the Scripture reports it to be namely an Easy and light Yoke Math. 11. ult And her way are ways of pleasantness Pro. 3.17 And his commandments are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 Yea they find that in keeping of them or the right observing of them is great reward Psal 19. 2. Neither is the Chastising and afflicting will of God as such their burden or the real burden of the new Creature For that is swallowed up in the will of God and that over-ballances all because it is the will of God who loves him and he loves God It is matter of joy to him that the will of God is done although he suffer under it And the new creature knows that it is but a Fatherly chastisement The fruit of great love Care wisdom and Faithfulness not to hurt him but profit him not to wound but to heal the man not to destroy but to save him Rom. 8.28 Heb. 12. Isa 27. 2. But in the second place the new Creature is sensible of afflicted burdened and oppressed with other matters As 1. his Lusts and Sins These are the heavy burdens that presse him down and makes him cry out with Paul and David O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Rom. 7.24 And with David There is no rest in my Bones by reason of my Sin Psal 38. and who can understand his errors Cleans thou me from my Sins Psal 19. and Psal 51. There are many of them of his unbelief earthly-mindedness covetousness desires after worldly things hypocrisy formality and too often indifferency and lukewarmness of Spirit in the worship of God His deadness and carelesness