by the pen of S. Iames a world of wickednesse then alas how many and how great worlds of wickednesse are included in this one little world of man Now how should so foule so vncleane so polluted a creature set his foote within the portall of heauen How should such an heape of hellish lusts and diuellish vices bee receiued into that happie palace and holy mansion place of Saints and Angels What was the reason that the diuell could not tarie in heauen hauing once been there was it not because he had infected himselfe with sinne with which seeing all mankinde are whollie poysoned and couered ouer from head to foote being of their father the diuell nothing else but euen little diuels differing from the great ones not in substance and parts of corruption but alone in the degrees thereof as a childe of foure or fiue yeeres from a man of thirtie or fortie how can hee possibly finde any place in the kingdome of heauen Thus therefore we conclude our reason Sinne can haue no place no dwelling none intertainment in the kingdome of God Man vnregenerate is nothing else but a very compound or bundle of dirt and sinne Wherefore man vnregenerate cannot possibly finde a place in heauen And this is the first reason from the sinfulnesse of mans nature Reason 2 From the purity of Gods nature The second followes taken from the puritie of Gods nature The Lord is a God of pure eyes and can abide none iniquitie yea the wicked and the workers of iniquitie his soule hateth Hee is as contrary to sinne as heate to colde as light to darknesse as any two contrarie things in the world can be imagined to be contrarie and a great deale more too For other things are contrary each to other alone in regard of their qualities But the very nature substance and being of God is contrary to sinne For sinne is a taxie disorder confusion a not being and God is order perfection holinesse an absolute and a simple being For holinesse in God is not an accident but his very essence is holinesse and he is after an inconceiueable and incomprehensible manner infinitly and essentially good holy and pure Wherefore there can be no reconciliation nor vnion betwixt him and the sinner till the sinfulnes of the sinner be remoued and the image of God be formed and imprinted in him a fresh Euen as the poison of an Adder is contrary to the nature of a man and the venome of a Toade extreamly opposite to his life and therefore no force can compell no wages hire no Rhetorique perswade no perswasion induce him to lodge a Toade or Serpent in his bosome so is it impossible that the most holy pure righteous perfect essence of God should admit into a societie of grace and glorie with him the impure filthie loathsome toadlike serpentine nature of man For though the infinit perfection excellencie of Gods nature be such that he cannot receiue any hurt or indamagemēt from sin as a man is hurt by the poyson of a poysonfull creature yet still withal such is his excellencie and the infinitnes of his power and goodnesse that he cannot but remoue farre and farre from himselfe al things whatsoeuer that are contrary vnto himselfe What fellowship can there be betwixt light darknesse God and wickednesse How can things absolutely and essentially contrary be ioyned together in one Seeing God is perfectly holy and man if we may vse that epithite in this matter perfectly sinfull either God must become sinfull like to man or man holy like to God or else there can be no gratious vnion and communion betwixt man and God Now to imagine that God should become sinfull is the most blasphemous and vtterly impossible imagination in all the world Wherefore vnlesse a man be made holy that is to say be regenerate or borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God In the third place let vs peruse the couenant of grace Reason 3 in which the Lord hath manifested his purposes of goodnesse to the sonnes of men From the tenour of the couenant of grace and we shall finde that it runneth along in these promises Ezek. 36.26 I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart out of your bodies and giue you an heart of flesh Hence it is easie to reason thus Whosoeuer is a stranger to the couenant of promise is likewise a stranger from all happinesse and from eternall life Now vntill a man be regenerate he is a stranger to that couenant For why that promiseth in the first place a new heart and a new spirit wherefore it must needes follow that vntill a man be regenerate hee cannot be saued Lastly let vs consider the end of our Sauiour Christs Reason 4 death and sufferings From the end of Christs death was it only to purge vs from the guilt of sinne and to saue vs from the pit of hell was it not also to redeeme vs from this present euill world that we being sanctified by his truth might auoid the corruptions that are in the world through lust and become a peculiar people vnto him zealous of good workes Doubtlesse had Christ gone about to ransome vs vpon other termes he must haue lost his labour altogether If Christ should come and dye for one man ten thousand times all those deaths should profit that one man nothing at all for his saluation vnlesse he be made a new creature For the death of Christ though it be of force to reconcile mercie and iustice in God yet is not of force enough to make God vniust or to diminish any whit his infinite righteousnesse which should be diminished yea annihilated if he should open the gates of heauen to vnholy vnsanctified vnregenerate persons for then should he be a louer of the wicked then should fooles dwel with him then should hee haue fellowship with the vnrighteous and communion with the darkest darknesse Whereas the Scripture saith that he is light 1 Iohn 1.5 and in him is no darknes and that if we walke in darknes and say wee haue communion with him we lie and deale not truly For al that are in heauen are loued of God and haue communion with him Wherefore such admittance of such men into heauen can no more stand with Gods iustice thē it can stand with a mans life to be cast into the bottome of the sea For this cause it was neuer the meaning or intentiō of our Sauiour to open heauen to any but to those whō he would sanctifie and by sanctification bring to saluation And so we conclude the point in this manner Whosoeuer is without Christ cannot possibly come to heauen For he is the way the truth and the life Euery vnregenerate man is without Christ for all that are in him are new creatures hauing crucified the flesh with the affections lusts Therefore no vnregenerate man so continuing can
see the kingdome of God CHAP. III. Containing a description of Regeneration SO haue we demonstrated the truth of this necessary principle of Christian religion Now wee goe forward to explicate the same The explication of the doctrine by shewing foure things and will endeuour to lay it open so cleerely that euery man may be able if hee be willing to bestow the labour of trying to discerne of his own estate in this behalfe and to say whether himselfe be regenerated yea or no. So will there be a ready way made to that application of the doctrine which hereafter we intend Now that this matter may be soundly conceiued of by you it shall be requisite for me to enter into a discourse consisting of foure heads First to giue a description of regeneration Secondly to shew in what order and in what degrees as I may terme them it is wrought in the sons of men Thirdly to declare what effects doe follow vpon it there where it is wrought Fourthly to set downe the most eminent of those graces that are to be found in regenerate men Of which foure I pray you reuiue your attention to heare in order For the first point Regeneration 1. A description of regeneration called also sanctification and renouation and conuersion and repentance hauing the three former names giuen it in as much as it is Gods worke in vs the two latter in as much as we also being moued by God doe worke together with him for the accomplishing and fulfilling thereof and fitly called a re-begetting because in it we are restored to that image of God wherein we were at the first created but now by meanes of our corruption through the fall are altogether destitute of it in our first birth This regeneration I say seemes to me conueniently described in these or the like termes It is a worke of the spirit of God by meanes of the word of God infusing holinesse into the whole man for the glory of God in his saluation I call it a worke because it is so called of God himselfe for wee are said to bee his workmanship Ephes 2.10 created in Christ vnto good workes and because to beget is to doe to bee begotten to suffer in the plainest discourse of naturall reason Now this worke is in this description set out by all the causes and by the subiect thereof The causes are foure all briefly named in the description The efficient formall materiall and finall The efficient is double principall and instrumentall The principall the sole author in whom remaineth all the power of working and to whom all the praise appertaineth is the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost the third Person in Trinitie The same Spirit by whom our Sauiour Christs Man-hood was conceiued in his Mothers wombe is the sole worker of this conception of grace in the heart of Christians So doth our Lord himselfe instruct Nicodemus in the words following saying vers 6. That that is borne of the spirit is spirit and before Saint Iohn had told vs that beleeuers were borne not of blood cap. 1. vers 13. nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man that is not by any natural power vertue or strength which is naturally inherent in them but of God that is of the Spirit of God wherefore in the New Couenant the promise is made on this wise Ezek. 36.16 I will put my spirit in your hearts and in another place I will poure forth my spirit vpon all flesh The spirit of God that rests vpon our Sauiour Christ doth descend frō him vnto those that shall bee his members at the same time implanting them into him and imprinting his image vpon them No Angell can change mans heart no Angell can quicken the dead soule no creature can breath into vs the diuine nature but we are the workmanship of God by his spirit created vnto good workes This is the annointing oyle that being poured vpon vs doth consecrate vs vnto God The holy Ghost himselfe in a wonderfull and vndiscernable fashion as the winde that bloweth where it lusteth doth conueigh and insinuate himselfe into the man whom hee will beget againe to a new life and becommeth purifying water to cleanse him and an holy fier comming downe from heauen to consume his corruptions and refine him for the Lords vse And yet the Spirit of God that could work of himself and without meanes pleaseth not so to doe in this great worke but of his owne free-will makes choice for himselfe of a fit and blessed instrument for that purpose euen the Law of God the whole doctrine of the Scriptures which hee hath for that end made knowne to the sonnes of men by his holy Prophets and which hath receiued this high commendation from the Diuine testimonie left in writing by Dauids pen that it is perfect Psalm 19. and conuerteth the soule This doctrin hath two maine heads the Law and the Gospel The former vsed by Gods Spirit as a necessarie preparatiue the other as a proper essential instrumēt in this busines Wherfore the Word is called the incorruptible seede which being sowne in the heart 1. Pet. 1.23 doth by little and little grow vp to a new creature and Peter tels vs that by the pretious promises 2. Pet. 1.4 we are made partakers of the diuine nature and to his Apostles our Sauiour vttereth as much saying Now are you cleane by the word that I haue spoken vnto you John 15.3 There may be a question made whither the Word of God read onely may become effectuall to regenerate or whither it must want this efficacie vnlesse it bee preached as well as read To which question mee thinketh that this should be a true answere that the instrumentall power of regenerating cannot be denied to the Scriptures barely read though preaching bee not ioyned withall For why seeing the doctrine of the Gospell is called 2. Cor. 3.8 the ministration of the Spirit and it is the doctrine of the Gospell when it is offered to the vnderstanding by bare reading therfore it must follow that in such case also it may become the power of God to saluation and the instrument of the spirit to regeneration The same precepts promises and threats are by reading deliuered to the mind of the man that readeth or heareth the Word read and why then should we thinke that the Holy Ghost either cannot or will not worke together with them Yea doubtlesse he can doe it when hee will and will doe it then whensoeuer he doth not as often he doth not affoord to men a possibilitie of enioying any other helpe then reading Vnlesse the not being preached could make the Word not to be the Law of God I see no reason that it should bee thought vnable to conuert soules without being preached But withall wee must adde this that the Word of God is made effectuall by the Spirit more often more vsually more ordinarily to
holinesse if I could attaine it But what doe I stand wishing I haue beene told that the spirit of God is he who regenerateth his people Wherefore I wil beg at his hand that mighty and sauing worke of his spirit and boldly I may doe it for Christ Iesus hath promised to all that thirst that if they come Isa 55.1 he will make them drinke of the waters of life Yea he hath told me that if we men who are euil can yet giue naturall good things to our children that aske them God will much more giue his spirit to them that aske it For his promise is to poure waters vpon the dry ground and flouds vpon the thirsty ground and to poure out of his spirit vpon all flesh Well I am assured the word of God is true and these promises shall be performed to euery one that asketh that he may receiue and to euery one that seeketh that he may finde for the Lord is rich in grace and giues to all that aske hits no man in the teeth And therefore I will take courage to call vpon him for that most desireable gift of God euen the spirit of regeneration Thus hauing enkindled thy desires bow thou the knees of thy body and of thy soule too vnto the king of heauen and poure out thy requests in the most submissiue earnest manner thou canst saying either in these words or to this purpose O Lord I am a lost sheep I am a child of wrath by nature I am most miserable most sinful I see that in me there dwelleth no good thing and if I be not renewed I must perish I beseech thee haue mercy vpon me that I perish not Send thy blessed spirit into mine heart to regenerate me for so is thy promise plainly made in thy word Thou knowest that I cannot make my selfe new O let thy spirit come vpon me and make me to haue a new heart and a new spirit Lord Iesus Christ send thy spirit into mee which may restore mee from this death of sinne which now at last thou hast made me to feele vnto the life of holinesse Thou toldest the woman of Samaria 〈◊〉 4. that if she would aske of thee thou wouldest giue her the water of life Now Lord I come and aske of thee that water that liuing that pretious water of the holy spirit O giue it vnto mee that I may neuer thirst but that it may spring forth in my belly and become a riuer of water O Lord I beg not money I beg not honour I beg not health I beg not naturall wisedome but I beg that which I haue more need to receiue and shall haue more benefit by receiuing and which thou hast more promised to giue and shalt haue more honour by giuing then by any such temporary or externall thing O giue me therefore thy holy spirit to regenerate me and make mee to feele by experience the truth of thy gratious promises My brethren I haue put these prayers into your mouthes learne you to poure them forth before the throne of grace in secret forget not in some such manner of words to cry for this best of all gifts and beg earnestly and if thou canst not amplifie yet multiply if thou canst not vse variety of words yet repeate the same request often and againe and againe if thine inuention serues not to say more let thy desire force thee to dwell vpon this 20. times rather then faile twice 20. times O Lord giue vnto me a miserable sinner thy spirit of life grace to regenerate me for so hast thou promised to them that aske I aske Lord resolue to continue asking I certifie you all frō God and by this authority of Christ Iesus committed to his Ministers do verily assure you that he who so seeketh regeneration shall as certainly be regenerate as God is true of his word and that is more certaine then the Sunnes shining in the heauens and the earths keeping his owne place I know that Satan will step forth to hinder you from following this counsell he will striue to make you carelesse of it all together as if there were no neede of begging so hard but I assure thee that he doth but beguile thee Neuer any man was regenerate nor shall be after yeeres of ability to pray vnlesse he doe pray for it for the gift of the spirit is promised to you that aske and to none else and by telling thy selfe of thy misery in wanting regeneration thou shalt easily shake thy selfe out of this carelesnes and bring thy selfe to a care of seeking that which but by seeking thou canst not get and but by getting thou canst not be saued Then will the Diuell assaile thee with more tentations and cast obiections and doubts in thy way as if it were in vaine to pray for sure thou shalt not be heard but beleeue him not hee is a lyar in going about to make thee make God a lyar for is not the promise so vniuersall as no man is excluded that doth not exclude himselfe doth it not runne thus euery one that asketh receiueth euery one that seeketh findeth and therefore say thou to thine owne heart if euery one why not I sure I will aske then and will not spare to speede by sparing to speake to God And that thou maiest yet more imbolden thy selfe know that God hath tyed thee by a kind of vow to seeke to him for the spirit of regeneration and himselfe to giue it vnto thee when thou so seekest For tell me art thou not a man professing to be of the Christian religion Wast thou not baptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost To what end was this washing but to assure thee of the spirit of God working like water to thy regeneration Wherefore vrge thou the Lord with his owne seale and say O Lord what better euidence can I wish Thou hast giuen me the seale of regeneration O make it to appeare not to haue beene an empty signe Lord baptise me with the Spirit and with Water euen wash me and cleanse me by that pure Water of thy holy Spirit which may sanctifie me throughout and make me a new creature If any doubt arise in thine heart looke thus to the seale of the couenant and confirme thy faith and assure thy selfe that God will neuer falsifie his bond and seale he will wash thee according to his couenant sealed vp vnto thee by Baptisme In very deed brethren it is an absurdity to imagine that all that are baptized with water are also infallibly regenerated but yet it is sure that all such might be regenerated if considering what this seale importeth they would duly and earnestly seeke vnto the Lord for performance thereof This is that I call vpon you now to do if already any haue not done it Let the remembrance of thy Baptisme with water cause thee to seeke to him that can giue the Baptisme of the spirit
communion betwixt God and man by Gods participating his fauour and blessednesse vnto man so long as man remaineth in the estate of his corrupted nature not being created according to God in righteousnesse and true holinesse It neither is now nor euer was nor euer shall bee found that any man should get within the gates of the kingdome of glory vnlesse he haue first entred into the kingdome of grace through the Churches narrow wombe of regeneration A new birth is absolutely needfull to an eternall life and in a word regeneration of perfect necessity to saluation It were a matter euen very superfluous to seeke more proofes after such a testimony of such a witnesse or author rather as Christ is But the vnbeleeuing spirit of man doth stand in neede of ouer-abundant conuiction in truthes of this straine Wherefore I will a while stand to make good this point and then after explanation proceed to apply it First we may reade Ezechiel crying out to the old Church in these words Make you a new heart and a new spirit Ezech. 18.31 for why will you die O house of Israel What more euident then that this question doth take it for granted that the house of Israel the seede of Abraham followers of the true God professors of true religion sealed with circumcision admitted vnto the Altar and participating of the sacrifices according to the Law and worshipping the God of heauen after the externall manner prescribed by himselfe that these I say and therefore questionlesse none other could not escape death euen eternall death death of body and death of soule if they got not a new heart and a new spirit that is the same thing being expressed in diuersitie of phrases were not borne againe as our Sauiour pleaseth to tearme it For this cause the same Prophet a little after and in one or two places more calleth vpon them Vers 32. saying returne and liue ye so that but by conuerting there is no liuing and conuersion and regeneration are alwaies and altogether inseparable therefore life and regeneration must needs goe together haue one and haue both misse one and misse both To the same purpose the author to the Hebrewes speaketh Chap. 12.14 in these words Without holinesse and that no man hath but by being borne againe for the image of God lost in Adam is not recouered but by the new birth in Christ I say without holinesse no man shall see God CHAP. II. Shewing the reasons of the point THree testimonies are plentifully sufficient to confirme any diuine truth But because it will helpe much to conceiue of the point of regeneration that wee doe well vnderstand the grounds of the impossibility of being saued without it wee will therefore lay them downe also for further proofe of the point These are Reasons 4 in whole or in chiefe foure First the monstrous filthinesse of man in his first birth Secondly the infinite purity and perfection of Gods nature Thirdly the tenour of the couenant of grace wherin the saluation of lost mankind is promised Fourthly the fruit and end of Christs death and obedience whereby our saluation is deserued For the first of these reasons Man in his first birth 1. From mans naturall filthinesse euen euery particular man woman and child Christ Iesus alone excepted who was therefore conceiued by the holy Ghost that hee might escape that pollution is conceiued in sinne and borne in wickednesse Psalm 51. as Dauid speaketh of himselfe First by imputation of the sinne of our first parents which is ours because they did it in each of our steads in whom each of vs was then originally comprehended and then by transfusion because wee are branches of that bitter root we are each of vs become sonnes of disobedience subiects to the God of this world slaues to sinne captiues vnder the dominion and power of lust hauing our vnderstandings darkened and harts hardened so that we can neither conceiue nor receiue the things of God but are led of Satan at his pleasure to doe his will according as hee doth effectually worke in vs. In a word wee are enemies to God heires of death children of the diuell dead in sinnes and trespasses doing the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and by nature sonnes of wrath and destruction one as well as another A man in the state of corrupt nature is nothing else but a filthy dunghill of all abominable vices hee is a stinking rotten carrion become altogether vnprofitable and good for nothing his heart is the diuels store-house an heape of odious lusts his tongue is a fountaine of cursing and bitternesse and rotten communication his hand is a mischieuous instrument of filthinesse deceit and violence his eyes great thorow-fares of lust pride and vanity his feet are swift engins mouing strongly to reuenge wantonnesse and lucre his life a long chaine of sinfull actions euery later linke being more wicked then the former yea it is but as it were one continued web of wickednesse spun out and made vp by the hands of the diuell and the flesh an euill spinner and a worse weauer He brings into the world with him the kernell of all impiety and iniustice euen an aptnesse and disposition to all the foulest acts that lie within the possibility of his naturall strength and meanes to performe either against the Lord or against his neighbour and an vtter vnaptnesse and inability to doe any thing that in the true iudgement and estimation of God who onely can iudge aright in this case is or may bee termed good as answerable to his law In his soule and body there lies the spawne of all wickednesse of Atheisme of pride of vnbeleefe of hypocrisie of rebellion of impatiencie of hatred and contempt of God and of his word of indeuotion of prophannesse of ambition of wrath of filthinesse of worldlinesse of arrogancie of selfe-conceitednesse of murthers of whoredomes of thefts of periuries and whatsoeuer thing besides is hatefull to God and contrary to his most holy law He is wholly darknesse wholly flesh wholly and totally opposite to the liuing God to whose law hee neither is subiect nor will nor can be till he be cast into an other and a fairer mould by the working of his spirit Such a thing as this my brethren euen iust such a thing and none other is a man euen euery man such an one am I are you are all and each of all the sonnes of Adam that haue been are or shall be and that vniuersally without any exception as witnesseth the Prophet saying Psal 14. They are all gone out of the way they are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one All these words and more then all these or all that can be spoken by vs falls farre short of a full description of mans naturall sinfulnes For if the tongue it selfe one poore and little member may well be intitled Iam. 3.6 as it is intitled
THE NEW BIRTH OR A TREATISE OF REGENERATION DELIVERED IN CERTAINE Sermons and now published by WILLIAM WHATELY PREACHER and Minister of Banbury in Oxfordshiere 1. COR. 5.17 If any man be in Christ hee is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man and are to be sold at his shop in Pater-Noster-Row at the signe of the Talbot 1618. THE METHOD OF THE TREATISE The Doctrine concerning the necessity of Regeneration is 1. Propounded and proued by Testimonies of Scripture 2. Confirmed by foure manifest Reasons taken from the 1. Sinfulnesse of Mans corrupt Nature 2. Puritie of Gods Nature 3. Tenour of the Couenant of Grace 4. End of Christs sufferings 3. Explicated 1. By a Description of Regeneration from the Causes Efficient Principall the Holy Ghost Instrumentall the Word of God chiefly preached Materiall Holinesse Formall Infusion Finall Gods glory in the persons saluation Subiect which is the whole Man 2. By a Declaration of the degrees and order of working it which are foure 1. By discouering to a man his naturall sinfulnesse 2. By stirring vp in him a setled desire of pardon and of holinesse 3. By dropping into him the spirit of Prayer inabling him solemnely to beg the two forenamed things at the hand of God 4. By sealing him with the Spirit of Promise which certifying him of acceptance with God imprints in his will a firme purpose of liuing to him hereafter and so he is a new creature 3. By a declaration of the effects that follow which are foure 1. A Spirituall Combate with the Diuell the World and the Flesh where the combate of flesh and spirit is distinguished from the combate of the light of Conscience and the corruption of the will in fiue points 1. In the things that are at variance 2. In the things about which they fight 3. In the motiues inducing them to fight 4. In the weapons by which they fight 5. In the successe of the combate 2. In a good conuersation in both parts of it 1. Leauing all euill Knowne Grosser so as not ordinarily to commit it Lesse grosse so as not to allow excuse defend it Suspected so as to seeke and be willing to know it and to leaue it 2. Doing good For extent Of all sorts Manner Out of conscience to God According to the direction of the Word 3. A knowledge of his owne being regenerate vnlesse in cases of 1. Infancie and new comming on 2. Strong tentations 3. Spirituall sownes of sinne 4. Growth in Grace whereof the Kinds are either in Quantitie Qualitie Manner is though not without diuers it may be long stops as in sicknes yet by recouering out of all 4. A Declaration of the principall graces of the new man in the 1. Chiefe faculties 1. Vnderstanding 1. Knowledge 2. Faith in God The Word of God 2. Conscience 1. Peaceablenesse 2. Wakefulnesse 3. Will 1. Being carried after God 2. Subiection to the will of God 2. The inferiour powers 1. Memorie 2. Imagination 3. Affections 4. Applied by making vses 1. Generall to all to trie themselues 2. Speciall to the Vnregenerate to Terrifie them To exhort them to be regenerate by 1. Desiring and begging for the spirit of regeneration 2. Hiding the Doctrine of the Law and Gospell in their hearts 3. Constant hearing the word of God preached and meditating of it after hearing Regenerate 1. To comfort them in the sight of their happinesse 2. To exhort them to two things 1. To cherish Grace in themselues 1. By auoiding ill company and keeping good 2. By auoiding things sinfull in resisting the first motions 3. By shunning excesse in things indifferent 4. By being constant in religious exercises 2. To propagate it to others which concernes the Flock and euery priuat man that in regard both of All with whom he shall conuerse and that by good Life Conference Especially those of his owne family both them of Age by 1. Worshipping God amongst them 2. Catechising them 3. Bringing them to Church 4. Praying for their regeneration 2. That are infants by bringing them to Baptisme with faithfull and feruent prayer Ministers by constant and plaine preaching of the Word of God to them Maior Aldermen and Burgesses and the rest of the Inhabitants of the Towne and Parish of Banburie the Author dedicateth the following Treatise and wisheth all happines WOrshipfull and welbeloued I haue not long since preached amongst you some things concerning the nature of the New Birth I am glad to vnderstand that in handling of them I gaue to some of you some good content I am willing you see to renew your content by offering the same things now to your eyes that formerly to your eares that the serious and I hope often reading of what you but once heard may instruct you better and ground you further in this necessarie doctrine And Oh that the Lord of Heauen would please so effectually to co-operate with his Word that many of you may become partakers of this happy and sauing worke of grace My greatest couetousnesse is that your soules may be thus inriched my greatest ambition that they may be thus aduanced To this end haue I bent mine endeauours amongst you in the constant imployment of the talent lent me by God which how heartily doe I wish and pray that it may be auaileable for your renouation For in truth the whole world is not worthy to stand in comparison with this life of holines I say it againe All the greatest aduancements profits pleasures which this prick of earth this almost nothing which we tread vpon is able to afford are in no sort to be esteemed desirable if they be laid in the ballance against those heauenly preferments those infinite treasures those vnutterable comforts whereto this estate of grace doth bring those that are brought vnto it euen in this present world in some good measure but most fully in the vpper region of this world the stately pallace of heauen the fairest roome of this large house and the Presence Chamber of the King of Kings Why then is any man especially why is any of you to whom these things haue been frequently deliuered on whom they haue been earnestly pressed on whom they are constantly inculcated why I say is any of you so worse then childish yea then brutish as to be carelesse of seeking that vnspeakable felicity from which nothing can hinder you but your owne slothfull negligence or wilfull carelesnesse in not vouchsafing to seeke it This small Treatise I am now bold to dedicate vnto you both that it may witnesse to your owne consciences and all that reade it that none of you doth want grace for want of meanes to get it either on Christs part the King of your soules or on my part his vnworthy Ambassadour and also that it may be present with you at all times to prouoke you to get that holinesse without which you haue learned that you
vile in his owne eyes because he knowes hee hath deserued to be damned and that so foule a thing as sinne wherewith his Maker hath due cause to be so much displeased doth not alone abide but raigne and command in him Wherefore hee doth euen lie downe at the foote of the throne of Gods iustice and in a most ardent abhorring of himselfe doth subscribe to the righteousnes of God in his owne feared destruction hauing nothing in the world to say for himselfe as of himselfe why he should not be destroyed and not so much as a tittle of a word to obiect against the perfect and exact equitie of the liuing God if that he should destroy him Sinne I say sinne not alone the punishment of sin but sin it selfe is discouered vnto him hee sees its loathsomnes and vilenes he sees its strength and violence he sees his owne totall defilement hee perceiues himselfe throughly and throughly polluted with it and cries out bitterly Ah what shal I doe not only nor so much because I shall be damned but because I am so wicked so sinfull so contrary to God so rebellious against him so very a traytor vnto him and so vtterly vnable to mend these woful disorders of my soule These be his groanes these be his plaints and his cryings out are of his wickednesse and iniquitie wherein hee was conceiued wherein hee was borne wherein hee hath liued and whereof now he perceiueth not so much as one part of his heart or of his life to be cleane and vnspotted This acknowledgement and sense of our sinfulnes is the very first beginning of holinesse The vnregenerate often sees and feeles his damnation the regenerate alone his sinfulnes the miserable deprauation of his nature the vtter totall odious pollution of his whole man being so loathsome that hee sees God cannot chuse in iustice but detest him and for any thing that is in himselfe for euer reiect him This apprehension of sinfulnes is mixed alwaies at first at least often with the feare of Gods wrath and vengeance but it doth so temper and allay that feare as the bitternes thereof carries not the soule furiously to contend against God as else he could not chuse but doe For his hatred is not stirred now against God whom in truth by vertue of a secret vnfelt and vndiscerned hope that the spirit of God hath created and doth vphold in him he loueth and honoureth though he be more then half in doubt lest hee may destroy him but alone against himselfe his wretched hatefull selfe that is so intollerably wicked and naught that he can see no cause but that the Lord should glorifie his equitie and iustice in damning him And so much for this first worke of regeneration the second followes it close at the heeles and is nothing else 2. An earnest deâ—â—â—e of â—â—â—â—nesse with remâ—â—â—ion of siâ—nes but an earnest desire of attaining holines and vertue together with remission of sinnes and the fauour of God in Christ Iesus For you must conceiue the partie that is now in regenerating to haue a generall knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell and a generall assent also to the truth of it this doctrine being as I said before an instrumentall cause of regeneration But now the generall knowledge begins to bee made speciall and the man touched with a sense of sinne is moued also with a most vehement longing after grace and mercie not alone to pardon his sinne but also to heale his soule of it as of a desperat wound which he feeleth to be most smarting and mortall So hee cries out who shall deliuer me from this body of death No hungrie man did euer with a more eager appetite wish for meate nor thirstie man for drinke nor couetous man for money nor ambitious man for aduancement then hee now longeth to be reconciled vnto God in Christ to haue his foule nature made cleane his wofull sinnes forgiuen his abominable corruptions remoued and killed and holinesse planted in their roome Oh how faine he would be holy O how faine would hee be humble faithfull obedient how faine he would beleeue in loue feare serue God! but ah wretch that he is he cannot Woe woe vnto him he cannot O how shall hee be able to preuaile against these vile disorders of his heart and life how shall hee doe to be lesse sinfull and more righteous These be his thoughts these his wishes these his groanes hee findes so great a misse of nothing as of the pardon of his sinne and the graces of the Spirit of God and if he had that bestowed vpon him were he a beggar a prisoner a slaue any thing yet he should seeme to himselfe an happy man and ah Lord thinkes he that thou wouldest be pleased for Christ his sake to forgiue my wickednes and to heale my nature Now the thirst that hee had after the things of this world is wonderfully cooled and as a man in a burning fit of an ague makes no reckoning of his fine cloathes hee doth almost put off all those desires and poore or not poore esteemed or not esteemed it is no great matter but that he might be accepted into the fauour of God and haue his sinnes pardoned and subdued and his vnholy nature made holy that is all in all within him There is to be seene in vnsanctified men in case of terrors of conscience which sometimes do lie long vpon them a great desire to be free from the insufferable euils they see comming vpon them For who can make question but that Iudas would faine not haue been damned or that the damned in hell haue not a wonderfull desire get out of their torments this being one maine aggrauation of their pangs that they cannot but desire to be deliuered out of those euils which they cannot escape But they not hauing the supportation of the Spirit of God to vnderprop them with hope doe vanish in these desires and lose the fruit of them for lack of a kindly working of them towards the Lord for they be not lifted vp to heauen-ward But the man that is now in framing a new being sustained with the fore-mentioned secret hope hath vehement and setled wishes fixed and fastened in him whereby hee thirsteth after the grace of God not alone to saue but also to amend him So the desires of the sanctified arising from the spirit are differenced from the desires of the vnsanctified that are meere fruits of nature which would faine be wel eased of an heauie burthen by these two things First that they are directed vnto God whereas the other are rouing and confused desires Secondly by their being set alwaies as well often as much somtimes more vpon holinesse as vpon freedome from punishment vpon the getting of vertue and goodnesse as vpon the getting of an heauenly kingdome wheras the heart of the vnsanctified is so taken vp when he must needs feele it with the sense of his misery and punishment that hee cannot
of God to reforme ones heart and soule as well as his free fauour to pardon former offences An vnsanctified man by benefit of Christian acquaintance in long and heauie terrours may come to the one of these to the other alone the Spirit of sanctification can leade one To which passe when the heart is once brought at length 4. A perswasion of mercie bringing a resolution of obedience the fourth act of the Holy Ghost doth plainely shew it selfe for it becomes a spirit of adoption within him the very earnest penny of saluation sealing vp vnto him the fauour of God the pardon of sinne the attaining of life and by a new and in truth considering the difference of former times a strange worke perswading him that God is reconciled vnto him and hath accepted him for his childe As it made him able to take vnto him words and goe vnto the Lord crauing to bee accepted graciously so it brings him word againe from God that he shal be yea that he is accepted gratiously and answering him euen as one would say with a sensible answer in the middest of his prayers oft-times so strongly and vndoubtedlie â—â—â—ures him of his being heard that hee makes for the time no more question of it then whither he liues yea or no. From which assurance of spirit hauing tasted the sweetnesse of Gods Grace and felt how good the consolations of his Word and Spirit are he growes resolute in his very soule for the time to come in all things to please God and finds a new kind of disposition inabling him to auoide euill and doe good so hauing put his necke vnder the gentle and easie yoke of Christ Iesus hee finds rest vnto his soule and thus is Christ formed in him and he transformed into a new creature For this firme purpose of will to please God in all things is so manifest and euident and sensible a worke of grace that now we may say this act of regeneration is growne to some good ripenesse and euen now perfected in him before he was in making a new man but now he is made new now he is begotten againe and become a sonne of God and heire of his kingdome and fellow-heire of Christ I know that it may befall an hypocrite lying vnder the burthen of a terrified conscience which may be totally and perpetually separated from regeneration and regeneration from it by the diligent inculcating of the comforts of the Gospell and the earnest labour of some Christian and godly men that in such case would faine speake peace to bee brought because they are told there is none other way of comfort to a purpose of neuer committing such and such grosse sinnes as they are accused of in their owne soules and to some promise of amendment of life but this is rather a resolution forced vpon them by striuing of others hereupon promising comfort then a thing growing in themselues out of the sense of the louing kindnesse of the Lord their God Whereas a Christian finds somewhat within him inclining him and making him to say within himselfe and euen little lesse then to sweare and vow with Dauid that hee will surely keepe the righteous iudgements of the Lord and that in all things and for euer to his dying day And thus is the worke of regeneratioÌ„ brought to some perfectioÌ„ thus doth the holy Ghost mould the soule of a man into a new fashion thus doth hee stampe vpon him a new image and as you would say the very lineaments and proportion of God his Father whom in a sweete likenesse that makes him amiable to God and Angels he begins to resemble Onely my brethren vnderstand you one thing for the better conceiuing of all that hath been spoken There are two sorts of regenerate men in the world Some it pleaseth God to call to himselfe euen very betimes dropping pietie and grace into them almost together with their mothers milke by benefit of that great fauour of God holy and Christian education and that euen in certaine insensible degrees so that they cannot so easily name the beginning and progression of this worke In these all the forenamed things are most manifestly found for in truth the working of them doth not cease till life cease and that so as sometimes the one of these workes of grace is more strong then the other Sometimes they find a more sensible abasement of themselues within their owne hearts out of the apprehension of their sinfulnesse sometimes desires and prayers are more vehement sometimes a comfortable resolution of pleasing God doth more mightily stirre in them yet because of the early working and that they were wrought in a still manner by very small degrees the worke did almost goe beyond obseruation and they cannot so distinctly tell when they began to be abased when to be raised vp But there is another sort of men regenerate who did liue a long time in vnregeneracie yea perhaps also in profanenes and notable and notorious wickednesse for oft it falleth out that the Pharisies and Scribes make lesse haste to the kingdome of heauen then the Publicans and sinners I meane that the grosse offenders are sooner regenerated then the ciuill liuers Now for such men it pleaseth the holy Ghost many times yea most times to worke these foure fore-rehearsed workes very distinctly making as it were some euident pause betwixt each of them and grace goes forward in them euen step after step in the manner that hath been described Most times if not alwaies the difference of their former life when they were but dead making the matter euident enough they can name when and where and by what meanes the Lord began first to lay them low to pull them downe and as they say in nature corruption and generation goe together to kil their old man by terrors till being so slaine he had in a calmer manner shewed them the filthinesse and lothsomnesse of it They can tell what longings they felt before they durst pray and what adoe they had to bring themselues to pray and then how long they continued praying before they were answered and lastly wheÌ„ that sweet tidings came that rauished their soule with ioy and made them so inamoured of Gods goodnesse that they euen made a strong couenant with him to walke in his waies and keepe his iudgements All these things I say they can tell well and nothing doth them more good then to recount with themselues this mightie act of the most high whereby their foules with as great a miracle as once Lazarus his body were raised vp from the rotten graue of sinne wherein they lay wrapt vp in the winding sheet of hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of mind stinking and putrifying as a carcasse crawleth with wormes swarming with those noysome lusts that are able to poyson vp an honest heart CHAP. V. Shewing the effects of Regeneration ANd so haue you brethren the order and so farre as may be collected out of scripture the
a Father so perfect a Sauiour and then falling downe telleth the Lord how wicked he findes himselfe what foule desires are stirred in him and how weake he is to make resistance he beseecheth God to pull out this pricke of his flesh to strengthen him against these wicked desires and to establish his heart in a sincere purpose of obedience by his holy spirit and so riseth vp confirmed Thus I say he doth vsually and ordinarily though sometimes the suddenneâ—â—â— of occasions hinders him that he cannot and sometimes his owne neglect of dutie hath so estranged him that he findes no power so to doe in which last case he is often foyled in the former not so often Lastly the conscience if it take the foyle once or twice is benumbed and silenced Sometimes it suffers its mouth to be cleane stopped by some idle shift and vaine distinction which the wit that in many men is too good for their conscience hath inuented for the iustification of euill and after some such paultry defence or apologie a man is suffered to sinne freely enough But if the thing be neuer so vniustifiable yet after two or three times doing it the heart is hardened the naturall conscience put to silence and a mans checkes grow faint or none at all vntill some crosse come or some immediate hand of God to set it on working againe For why the vnsanctified man as he did not beg grace to hold him vp before his sinne so neither after hath any heart to goe and confesse it and craue the spirit of repentance but either lets it passe or falles to extenuate and excuse it vnlesse perhaps it grow desperate as in Iudas But now the santification of the will doth still get the victory though it may receiue a foyle It will not bee put downe it will not be vanquished yea euery latter time of offending it is more vehement in its opposition then before at least so farre as to make a man appeare more vile and abominable to himselfe So it brings him into Gods presence againe sooner or later and makes him say Lord I haue done exceeding foolishly but ah doe away the sinne of thy seruant for thy Sonnes sake and Lord through thy grace helpe me that hereafter I may offend no more Thus commonly he doth quickly renue his repentance and the spirit wins the field of the flesh though it were somewhat disaduantaged and made to recoyle backe at first For stronger is the spirit that is in vs then that that is in the world grace is alwaies in conclusion more auailable then naturall corruption Yea when Gods children are most deeply cast through presumption of sinning into the sownes of deadnesse security and vnconscionablenesse yet then still they heare a voyce behind them saying This is the way walke in it Then the sanctification of the will shewes it selfe in many motions and risings against the euils that they doe and by renewing in them the purposes of amendment though these purposes perhaps in case of great preuailing of corruption be so weake and feeble that they be not put in practice any thing thoroughly till God arise to weaken corruption and to strengthen grace and then he weepes and prayes and recouers himselfe resoluing to sinne so no more and standing to his resolutions And so fareth a poore Christian within himselfe There is a ciuill warre in his very bosome and his bowels be somtimes little lesse then rent asunder with intestine discord betwixt himselfe and himselfe Hee is no longer one but two men the old and the new deadly enemies dwelling both in one roome He findes two lawes in his heart the law of his flesh and the law of the spirit that drawing him captiue to sinne and this helping him out of that captiuitie He serues God in one part of his will and sinne in the other not meaning this last of such a seruing of sinne as was before his new birth but some kind of seruing euen a doing of that sometimes that sinne doth perswade though vnwillingly and against the haire Neither yet is this all for as within hee is thus perplexed 3. The world so can he not long be free from disquietment without The third enemy stands vp quickly and that is the world and that hates him malignes him abhors him cannot away with him When once some glimpse of Gods image shineth in him then worldly men perceiuing it if they were his friends turne foes They thinke and call him a foole they say he is either proud or stout or mad or all After a while also come slanders as it were stronger and sharper weapons then if the times will giue leaue his enemies growing in rage as he growes in goodnesse hee meetes often with losse of goods banishment and euen death it selfe So the world tries what she can doe by violence if that way seeme the fittest course of pulling him backe againe into her society but if the case bee such that that way seeme not at first so plausible the world assaults him with strong allurements his friends and neighbours will perswade him to returne to bee himselfe againe he shall haue large offers of friendship and of gaine Many entreaties many promises many assurances and many performances of good turnes as strong baits are held out before him to diuert him from the wayes of godlinesse And these fairer assaults often hurt him much more then the more violent but yet still his faith is his victory by which he ouercomes the world The assurance that he findes in himselfe of Gods eternall loue and the sweet effects therof makes him to disdaine these sugred allurements and to stand strong against those bitter encounters flatter they or frowne they doe him good or doe him euill still hee holds himselfe to this conclusion hee will not leaue God to cleaue vnto the world againe Thus you see how the regenerate man is laid too on euery hand within without on euery side There is no day in a yeere no houre in a day nay verily scarce any minute in an houre wherein some one or other of these his backe friends doth not striue to doe him a spight The worst enemie is within himselfe the next is the diuell and the world the least These welcome him in this manner into the City of God Thus they entertaine him into the society of Christs mysticall body But in all these things he is an excellent conquerour yea verily more then a conquerour through him that hath loued him for he is out of all danger of euer being quite ouercome Wherefore notwithstanding all the trouble of this first effect of grace 2. A good life the second will follow the first and that is a good conuersation A man would imagine that the forenamed incumbrances should so farre discourage his heart to whom they befell as to take from him all boldnesse so much as to attempt a good course And indeed so it would were he not continually led and strengthened by
offers him vnto his minde as continually standing at his right hand beholdeth him in all places euen then when he is farre remoued from all other company as a narrow obseruer of his secret actions and an eie-witnes of all his most inward and retired cogitations He puts himselfe in minde still and still saying Lord whither can I fly from thy presence The Lords eies behold me his eielids ponder my paths to him nothing is secret from him nothing can be concealed thus I say he mindeth himselfe of the Lords being hard by him and represents him often to his soule as a witnesse and iudge of his whole life yea of his very heart and conscience And this excellent vertue of remembring God doth stand betwixt him and the tentations to sinne as it were strong barriers that doe mightily restraine his forward flesh from committing it For why saith he to himselfe doth not the God of heauen see and know and vnderstand how then shall I doe this wickednes and sinne against him to his face Further his memory serues his turne also for the things of God The commandements threats promises of the word the workes of God either of mercy or iustice the infinite and eternall reward of well doing the intolerable and endlesse punishment of irrepentant sinning and the like are alwaies before his eies and hee makes none end of minding himselfe of such diuine things as may frame him to holines There is a naturall power of memory consisting in the ability of retaining and making repetition of things that one hath heard or seene This ability as following the temperature of the body the sanctified man perhaps may want and if nature haue not bestowed it vpon him he must want it for grace doth not adde a greater naturall perfection to the powers of mans soule but alone makes the perfections it hath straite and right and guideth them to God ward but that memory which God hath giuen him he can vse for the good of his soule to godly purposes in all the sanctified performances of memory He can retaine good things according to that strength of retainement which nature affords him but that that he doth retaine and heere indeede he shewes his memory to be sanctified he hath at hand for the benefit of his soule in due season fruitfully recalling it in the instant of tentation in the very time of neede when it may auaile him to resist sinfull suggestions of Satan or the flesh and to quicken him against his backwardnes and vnwillingnes to duties commanded So his memory becomes a principall instrument of order both to his heart and to his life for example A godly man and an vnregenerate come both to one sermon It is made against filthines or couetousnesse or any vice as it falleth out The vnsanctified man may perhaps be able to repeate tenne times more and more orderly then the sanctified this is a fruit of nature not of grace but when some time is past and that both shall be tempted to couetousnes or filthines all that that the vnregenerate man could so readily repeate is slipt quite out of his minde as a thing carelesly thrust into a corner which a man cannot find when he should vse it so that he follows the sin as much as if he had neuer heard that Sermon but the godly man hath those reasons proofes of Scripture which he was able to carry away instantly in his minde repelling such thoughts and saying haue I not heard what a sinne this is haue I not beene taught how it displeaseth God so by this his holy remembrance the word of God is auaileable to keepe him from sinning or at least after to raise him vp to the renewing of his repentance And so you see the holinesse of a Christian mans memory 3 In his affections Thirdly his affections are also sanctified and set in good order by the vertues which the holy Ghost infuseth into him The principall affections are loue and hatred feare and confidence ioy and sorrow All these are inabled by the spirit of God with a new power of exercising themselues vpon God and the things of God and there are certaine vertues which doe rectifie each of them in their seuerall workings First for loue the motions and inclinations thereof are ruled by that King of vertues charity both towards God and towards the children of God A good mans heart is inclining it selfe still to Godward he finds in his soule that he hath something within him bowing and bending his heart to God and making him euen earne and melt after him sometimes and cleaue and sticke vnto him in an vnexpressible manner yea the sweetnes of that loue wherewith he finds himselfe loued of God is still pulling him vnto God euen then when perhaps he finds the Lord somewhat displeased with him and carrying himselfe towards him somewhat angerly as a wife comes towards her husband with a kind of melting affection submissiuely but still louingly when she perceiueth that he is offended with her In truth the working of this affectiō rectified as I said aboue by charity cannot be well enough set out in words he findeth such a kind of clinging to God and such an vniting of his heart towards him that he had rather be depriued of all that is deere to him in the world then of him and his soule doth so setledly stedfastly solidly irresistibly bend it selfe to be one with him that this inclination many times doth ouerweigh and ouer-rule all other inclinations in him and sometimes hee cannot but euen breake forth into words professing so much to himself as Dauid I loue the Lord and calling vpon others saying loue yee the Lord wishing with all the wishes of his soule that himselfe and all others might more and more loue the Lord. A sanctified heart standeth affected toward God euen as the louer doth to the person he loueth and he hath though not so passionate because the obiect is spiritual yet as true and as perceiueable a working of his heart to God as one louer hath to the other and as to God so he is likewise indued with charity to Gods people The liking of his heart is to them aboue all other men hee finds his heart mooued with good will to none so much as to the Saints If he perceiue the beames of Gods image shining that is to him as good and better then twenty yeeres acquaintance yea it surpasseth all names of blood and alliance whom he sees godly him hee priseth aboue all other men In truth this charity doth then shew its warmth when almost the breath of grace is choaked by vices of diuers kinds Though some particular breach may cause a little iarring of affections betweene a godly man and another whom hee perswadeth himselfe to feare God also yet he cannot but feele his heart to stand towards him euen in this iarre Yea let a Christian man be at the worst that euer he can be and gone as farre
content himselfe with such simple euidences in the matter of his lands or liuing or his temporall estate how much more doest thou deserue the same name that dalliest with thy selfe so fondly in matters whereupon thine eternall estate dependeth but if thine hopes be well grounded shew vs the grounds of them and bring them forth now in so due an houre before God and thine owne conscience Where is thine holinesse where is the Image of God wrought in thee shew how the spirit and the word of God haue wrought together to change thee into a new man when diddest thou see and feele I doe not say hell open before thee ready to receiue thee for that Iudas saw and felt and yet was neuer regenerated but the filthinesse of thy nature thine abominablenesse sinfulnesse and wickednesse what feruent and strong desires hast thou found of being renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God Where be thy cries thy groanes thy teares begging reconciliation at Gods hand and earnestly seeking vnto him to reforme thy leaud nature Where is the firme purpose of thy soule out of the apprehension of his grace to please him in all things Where is thy godly conuersation thy departing from all wickednesse and exercising thy selfe constantly in that that is good What combates hast thou made with sinne and Satan and with the vnsanctified world Where is thy growth and proceeding in all godlinesse Shew mee the vertues of the inward man formerly declared Shew mee thy loue and feare of God shew me thine hatred of sinne and sorrow for it shew me thy mindfulnesse of God thy thinking of him thy beleeuing and reioycing in him and in his word Are these things to be found in thee Canst thou approoue before the liuing God and thine owne soule that these matters are in thee then stand to thine answere then confirme thy selfe in thy perswasion and be thou more and more assured that the spirit and word of God haue begotten thee againe indeed but if these things be absent from thee or if thou please thy selfe in certaine shadowes and resemblances and conceits of them I say vnto thee thy conceits are vaine thine answere false and thou art so much the further off from being the child of God by how much thou dost more peremptorily boast of thy being such Brethren what should I say more you see the necessity of this searching into your selues I haue endeauoured to goe before you in it continue you now constantly and neuer giue your selues any rest till by looking narrowly into your hearts you haue attained a true and sure knowledge of your estates and bee able to say and shew that you are regenerated yea or not CHAP. VIII Containing an vse of terrour to them that are vnregenerate ANd in the second place let me turne my speech to all them which are without doubt the greater number that if they will answere truly 2. To the vnregenerate 1. Terrour because of their hard estate must answere negatiuely to this question must confesse if they will not lie that in very deed they are not regenerate To which kind of men I haue two things to speake the one to shew them their wretchednesse out of Christs owne words the other to beseech them that they would be carefull and willing to come out of it Come hither all yee vnregenerate men and see your hard condition you know you must not liue in this world alwaies you see so many dye before you that you cannot but see though you refuse to consider of it that death must ceaze vpon your persons also afore long And you haue been wont to flatter your selues with hopes of being saued when you die But now I pronounce against you that all these your hopes are lying hopes and like a broken reed will but runne into your armes if you rest vpon them Either out Lord Iesus Christ did egregiously falsifie when he did so vehemently assure Nicodemus that a man cannot see the kingdome of God vnlesse he be borne againe or else you haue most egregiously deluded your owne soules with vanitie lies when being vnregenerate you haue been bold to make your selues beleeue that you should be saued Now for our Sauiour wee are sure he affirmeth nothing but what hee knoweth his words be all pure words tryed in the furnace seuen times he that is the author of saluation can well enough tell to whō he will grant it you therfore euen all you that haue maintained cōtrary hopes in your selues haue lied to your selues haue trusted in vanity haue bin beguiled by sin and Satan haue flattered your selues foolishly and shall surely be disappointed of your goodly hopes vnlesse you take a better course then heretofore I say vnto thee that art vnregenerate Though thou liuest an honest and ciuil life though thou cariest thy selfe iustly and truly towards thy neighbours in thy dealings though thou giue much almes to the poore though thou come to Church and heare the Word and receiue the Sacraments though thou hast been baptized and professest to beleeue in Christ though thou reade the Scriptures and pray with thy family yea though thou haue some fits of sorrow for some sinnes yea though thou confessest and leauest many sinnes and seemest to take much pleasure in the companie of good men and beest forward to the externall exercises of religion and pietie though thou doest all these things as al these things may be done and yet beest not regenerat thou canst not for al that haue any admittance into the kingdome of God How miserable therefore is thy condition that loosest all thy paines and cost that thou bestowest in some good things and canst not bee saued by all that thou doest Doubtlesse euen so stands it with all your soules that are vnregenerate your best works are but guilded sins and that that in you seemeth faire and louely to your selues and to your neighbours to God that searcheth the heart and iudgeth of all things by the heart appeareth exceeding loathsome and abominable Acknowledge thy wretchednesse therefore thou that art not regenerate for to speake all in one word Do what thou canst so long as thou remainest in this estate there is an vtter impossibilitie of thy comming to heauen But you may perhaps say vnto me Who be the men whom I dare charge to bee vnregenerate and in that name barre vp the Kingdome of God against them I answere Too too great a multitude and more by farre then wee doe desire euen all those that boast of their owne vertues and will needs make themselues beleeue that they loue God aboue all and with all their hearts and their neighbour as themselues that is in a word That they doe more then euer any of all the Prophets and Apostles or any besides Christ in the present World since the first sinne of Adam All these that find in themselues so great store of the loue and feare of God as that they conceiue that they loue him with all
will not seeme to you vnreasonable nor the motion light and not worth harkening to when the God of heauen sues vnto you that be his enemies to be changed and become his adopted sonnes Sure I am that if a Gentleman should with the same good meaning make the same offer to a poore miserable beggar either he would greedily accept the motion or else all that knew him would esteeme him mad How much worse then mad art thou then which wilt reiect the Lords owne motion offering to become thy Father and intreating thee to bee willing to be made his child by adoption you may perhaps say vnto me that you do already wish and desire so to bee with all your hearts but that all the difficultie lies in being made such as you desire to be And I answere that if you doe indeed and in truth long and desire to be regenerate with a setled and firme desire and stable and confirmed wishing of your hearts that then the greatest impediment is remoued and the greatest difficultie ouercome and your regeneration is now in a faire forwardnesse yea verily it is already begun and doe you but cherish these motions and it shall be perfected You may perhaps make another obiection and say that it is not in your power to regenerate your selues and therfore it is an idle attempt of me to perswade you to become such as you cannot make your selues to be for the Spirit of God must regenerate and who can command that to come vpon him To which I answere that indeed a man cannot possibly regenerate himselfe this is Gods act not his he is a meere patient in it But yet I say moreouer that the doctrine of the Gospell is the ministration of the Spirit and where that is preached as now it is preached amongst you there the holy Ghost comes to regenerate there he comes with his in-liuing vertues there he is present with his quickning power and he that wil not resist the motions and exhortations that the word and spirit of God doe raise vp within him shall surely be visited from on high and shall haue the spirit of God descending vpon him to make him a new creature Yea further I say to such an one that God hath appointed certaine things to be done by men which they that will not refuse to doe may doe and those that shall doe shall be regenerated For there is a common worke of illumination so making way for regeneration that it puts a power into man of doing that which when he shall doe the spirit of God will mightily worke within him to his quickening and purging All you therefore that finde your selues as yet not to be regenerate but yet faine would be for to others it is in vaine to speake they be not yet so farre inlightned as to be capable of regeneration but all you hearken and vnderstand what it is that you must doe that you may be regenerate and by doing which you shall not faile of receiuing this wonderfull blessing of a new life to be created in you onely yet with one prouiso that you doe not dampe the present motions of the word and spirit of God with procrastinations and delayes with putting off and deferring till an other time Nay you must accept of the offers of grace whilest it is called to day and know that nothing doth more harden your hearts and chase away the spirit of God from them then that foolish and slothful shifting off his perswasions with a purpose of setling about the worke hereafter but not yet Thou must take Gods time and not bid him tarry thy time It is no reason the King should waite vpon the traitor till he were at leisure to receiue a pardon If thou wilt not haue while when the Lord sees it fit to make thee a sweet promise of grace remember the terrible threatning of Wisdome You shall seeke me and not finde me Prou. 1.24.28 because I stretched out mine hands and you would not heare me O then venture not to put off God till hereafter Who can tell whether euer he will come so neere thee againe if at this time thine entertainment of him be no better then to shut vp the dores of thine heart and tell him the roomes are otherwise filled there is no place for him as yet But now I say with prouiso that you will now begin without further deferring I will shew you the way of life and tell you that which if you will be pleased to doe and it shall be no such hard matter nor impossible but that your owne soules shall confesse there is nothing to hinder you from doing it but your owne vnwillingnesse or carelesnesse or both if I say you will be pleased to doe I testifie vnto you in the name of the Lord that you shall bee regenerate and that from the time you begin to doe them you begin to be regenerate Now these things are in number three as I said before neither impossible for you to doe Wheâ—eof the meanes are three nor yet difficult there lackes but a willing mind and they be easily done onely vnderstand of them that you must not satisfie your selues with hauing done them once but must doe them continually because they are meanes of encreasing holinesse as well as attaining it The first is 1. To desire and pray for the spirit of regeneration so to nourish your apprehension of your owne misery in not being regenerated and your earnest desire of being regenerated for the escaping of this misery that it may breake forth into requests and petitions vnto God for his spirit of regeneration Goe thou and muse thus with thy selfe Alas I see most euidently that as yet I am but a sonne of old Adam there is no thorough change of mine heart nor of my life from sinne to holinesse I am as I was borne and haue not been altered by a new birth and therefore I am in no possibility of being saued This night if God should as how know I but he may this night take away my soule from me O I perish for out of heauen the blessed Sauiour of mankind hath excluded mee for thither he tels vs euidently that none must enter that are not borne againe and O miserable man I that am not yet capable of eternall life and that stand in such tearmes with God to this day that hee cannot both keepe his owne truth and saue my soule What shall I doe what course shall I take O could I once obtaine regeneration then I were safe then I were sure then if death should come immediately I neede not feare it then were the gates of heauen opened vnto mee and then I both might and should enter in thereto O that I were regenerate O that I were borne againe O that I were a new creature O that once the image of Christ Iesus were imprinted vpon me All the goods and honours of this world would not so much aduantage me as
beget a new life in the preaching that is to say the interpreting and applying of it by the mouth of a man inabled and assigned to that worke then in the bare reading for the Lord hath appointed in his Church Pastors and Teachers to be his Workemen his Laborers Dispensers of his heauenly mysteries and Fellow-workemen together with him that by becomming his instruments to conueigh grace into mens hearts they might become spirituall Fathers vnto them and by attendance not to reading alone 1. Tim. 4 13. but also to doctrine or teaching they might saue themselues and their hearers And when Christ himselfe was pleased to raise vp the dead world of the Gentiles vnto the new life of godlinesse and so to fulfill that which himselfe had foretold saying Iohn 5.25 The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Hee commanded his Disciples to goe and preach vnto all Nations will any man make himselfe so simple as to say Matth. 28.19 he meant thus Take the volume of the Law in your pockets and draw it out and reade a Chapter or two at a time vnto them Nay doubtlesse hee willed his Disciples to do that which they had so often seene and heard him doing whose custome was as wee may collect out of the fourth of Luke where one instance is recorded to make vs conceiue his ordinarie practice when he had read to interpret the Scripture by him read as there he did saying This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares and after to apply it to the hearers as in the same place he falles into the reproofe of their quarrelsomnesse against him that would vpbraide him with the Prouerb of Physitian heale thy selfe Prouerb amplifying his reproofe with allegation of the examples of the Widdow of Zarepta and the Syrian Naaman So the Apostles could not mistake his meaning when himselfe had by constant practice gone before you in doing what he bad them doe And therefore it will not at all follow that because the word read is able to beget faith either the ministers may content themselues vsually to reade it without preaching or the people vsually content themselues to heare it so and not be carefull to seeke for the preaching of it For of such absolute necessity and of such excellent worth is regeneration that it is needfull to seeke it and sinfull not to seeke it not onely in some one of the most easie meanes that may sometimes procure it but also in all the meanes though neuer so painfull that God hath appointed for it Euery man may reade himselfe yea must reade if he can This is a duty that might haue beene performed without establishing of any ministery in the Church But the Minister is not onely to reade but also to diuide the word of truth aright to exhort improue rebuke to speake to mens edification exhortation comfort that he may be truly called a fellow-labourer with God in the work of mens saluatiō Shal we rest our selues satisfied in one thing that may conuert shall we thinke it enough to bee constant in one exercise that may worke grace Doubtlesse if wee doe so our owne worldly wisdome and diligence shal rise vp in iudgement and condemne our spirituall folly and negligence Yea brethren in things temporall men stand thus affected that as they will neglect nothing that may promise them any furtherance to their good successe so they will shew most care and most earnestnesse in that which they haue cause to thinke will be most auaileable for their purpose Now without question the word preached is more vsually and more powerfully effectuall to regeneration then the word read The holy Ghost doth more often and more mightily worke by the word interpreted and applied then by it barely repeated out of the booke I thinke him not worthy to bee reasoned withall that will stand in deniall of this matter Reade the stories of holy writ and search and see if the examples of men by onely reading regenerated bee not few rare seldome nay scarce any where at all to be found but on the other side the examples of men by preaching made new common frequent and vsuall Therefore be it againe concluded that he doth farre vnderualue the gift of spiritual life which satisfying himself in the lesse vsuall and lesse auaileable meanes of working it because it is most easie pretermitteth the more auailable and more vsuall because he is not willing to vndergoe the paines labour or cost that it will require And thus you haue the efficient causes of regeneration Gods spirit as the chiefe the word principally preached as his instrument The materiall cause is holinesse that is the thing in the working of which regeneration is conuersant Holinesse I say the most admirable of all things in all the world as farre surpassing wit and learning and riches and other earthly vanities as learning surpasseth ignorance and wealth beggery This is as it were the character of Christ Iesus the image of God the beauty the riches the strength the life the soule of the soule of the whole man It is a very beame of the diuine light called therefore by the Apostle The diuine nature it is the most excellent and worthy thing vnder heauen or of things incident to creatures in heauen It is that that distinguisheth Angels from diuels the Saints from the damned Ghosts Take away from a blessed Angell his holinesse he will become a blacke fiend of hell It is in a word the best of all things that a creature can haue without which nothing is worth the hauing and with which the meanest condition is able to affoord a man happinesse enough This admirable thing that can by no words be sufficiently commended is giuen by regeneration and therefore wee call it the matter of regeneration Now holinesse is nothing else but this a supernaturall power of withdrawing the faculties of the whole man from sinfull and earthly obiects and exercising the same vpon God and the things of God This Adam had in his first creation and that in such perfection as God required at his hand This should hee haue propagated to his sonne and his sonne to his sonne had he continued in his innocency so that to him the same thing was naturall and to his innocent posterity should haue been which now to vs is aboue the power and course of nature to attaine and therefore need wee to get it by a second birth because wee cannot get it in our first birth For the naturall man doth not conceiue in his mind and consequently neither apply his will and affections to receiue the things of God 1. Cor. 2.14 as the Apostle speaketh yea his minde is alwayes bowing and bending after either bare earthly or very hellish obiects but because these things must be spiritually discerned therefore the holy Ghost endues him with a new power of raising himselfe vp from these base and filthy