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
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
in a Regenerate state they are high noble and honourable They were wont to make the Lusts of the flesh of the eye and the pride of life the mark they shot at and the point scope and end of all their projects contrivements and endeavours but Regeneration hath sublimated and heightned their spirits caused them to see and carry on more worthy and glorious designs and ends their hearts are in measure suited to the Commands of God and the end of Christ his Death This the Apostle notably declares 2 Cor. 5.15 and that he died for all that they that live that is that are Regenerated and begotten again to a lively hope should not henceforth live unto themselves but to whom then why to him who died for them and rose again They are now partakers of the Divine Nature and are of a heavenly descent they are the spiritually natural and adopted Sons and Daughters of God the Off-spring and Royal Issue of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and therefore they must needs have aims ends and designs in their eyes and hearts according to their new Nature and Royal Spirits Now their Hearts and Souls are bent and set to live in the Court in the presence of the King to wait on and do homage to him to honour serve and please him to keep his favour and smiles of his countenance to know his pleasure and yield him free and chearful obedience thereunto to inrich themselves with his graces and Spirit and prepare themselves for full and everlasting Communion with himself Now they desire to hold up his Interest and Concerns in the world to inlarge and augment his Kingdom and to have their light so to shine in the world before men as that they may see their good works and be induced to glorifie God Matth. 5.16 These and such like glorious ends and designs are in the New Creatures eye but to live project and contrive to get and keep worldly riches honours pleasures beauty and a great name are things far beneath the Noble and excellent nature and spirit of the New Creature it is of a Christ-like Spirit and Nature and therefore it must of necessity have and design the same ends he doth Their old ends are passed away and new take place 5 New Rules or Laws Regeneration brings into a man and puts him under new Laws Orders and Rules All things are become new Before Regeneration they were ruled and governed by the will of the Flesh the counsels of the Flesh the suggestions of Satan and examples of carnal men and accordingly they walked and steered their course blest themselves in so doing promising peace and felicity to themselves in those ways of their own hearts Isa 66.3 1 Thes 5.3 But Regeneration puts into them and brings them under the Laws and Orders of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom into which they are translated Col. 1.3 The Laws written in the Gospel are by Regeneration written with the Finger of the Holy Ghost in their hearts so that now they have as it were two Bibles or Books of Laws the one in their hand the other in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10 11. Heb. 10.16 By these Laws and Rules they desire chuse and endeavour to walk under them to live and be subject to them and to none else The New Creature knows no other Lord Laws or Law-giver over it's Soul and Conscience but Christ it freely yields up its self to all chearful obedience to all his Laws and accounts it his happiness to walk by his Rules he honours them and is thankful for them These are his Laws upon choice and his obedience to them he esteems as a great priviledge and honour Deut. 4.8 He would not vary from them but have them continually before him in his eye heart and hand he makes them his delights and Councellours and they are the joy and rejoycing of his heart as David and Jeremy experienced When they vary from them or in any thing transgress them they are afflicted and when they conform to them they rejoyce Q. You said before that Regeneration signifies a change of state or a second state pray shew what is meant by a second or new state that Regeneration puts men into Answ I have shewed you already that Regeneration puts men into a new state of life it translates and raises them from spiritual death to spiritual life from darkness to light c. by the infusion of the Spirit Light and Life of Christ And several things have already been discoursed on which may not here be mentioned but shall refer you to what hath been said before Here I shall add secondly that Regeneration transplants men out of the old Adam into the new it takes them from the old stock and grafts them into the new out of the Earthy man and puts them into the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. By Regeneration they are actually put into Christ and Christ into them they are taken out of the Kingdom of Satan and put into the Kingdom of Christ as these Scriptures shew Rom. 8.9 10. 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Cor. 13.5 Col. 1.13 Acts 26.18 Joh. 18.36 Men are first put into Christ by Election they are said to be chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 and that before the Foundation of the World and they were united to Christ in his Incarnation when he took up our Nature into a Personal Union with the Divine but in Regeneration we are fully and compleatly actually and personally united to Christ with our own choise and free consent so that here is a great change indeed Regenerate persons are set into a new and living stock which will yield sufficient sap and nourishment to such grafts I am the Vine says Christ ye are the Branches Joh. 15.5 And hence it is that they bear much fruit unto Eternal Life after Regeneration Joh. 15.5 Joh. 4.36 By Regeneration we are made Subjects of his Kingdom and living Members of his Body 1 Cor. 6.15 Eph. 1. ult Eph. 5.30 They are now of another Kingdom and Corporation of another Root Stock and Body of another Family and Houshold Eph. 2.19 20. Thirdly Regeneration puts men into a state of liberty and freedom In their unregenerate state they are in bondage in prison and slavery to their Lusts Rom. 6.17 to Satan 2 Tim. 2. ult Eph. 2.2 They are also in bondage under the Law and enjoyned to keep every tittle of it on pain of Eternal Death Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.14 They are also by Nature Children of wrath as they are sinners and transgressors of the Law Eph. 2.3 And they are as sinners under the damning Sentence of the Law Joh. 3.18 Moreover the Scripture tells us that all men while in their unregenerate states are Prisoners Isa 61.1 and Prisoners in the Pit Zach. 9.11 This and much more is their misery and bondage thraldom and slavery while in their state of sin but now Regeneration sets them at liberty and freedom Gal. 5.1.13 Christ hath by his
adore and admire him and to worship and serve him as our God But the knowledge of God being lost God hath provided means for the retriving of some and bringing them to the knowledge of himself again and this is done by Regeneration Hence they are renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created them Col. 3.10 Eph. 4. And Paul saith God that commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in mens hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The having of this knowledge is Life Eternal Joh. 17.3 For this end God opened Pauls eyes Acts 22.14 and for this end he opens others eyes also and until men are Regenerated they are in darkness and know not God nor Christ the Mediator and therefore regenerates men that they may know both and whatever else is necessary to be known Men are like Moles and Bruits without the knowledge of God Jesus Christ his Grace and Laws 8 God Created Man to make him the Object of his Love Delight Complacency and Communion and therefore made him in his own likeness Gen. 5.1 beautified him with his own Image and Nature Gen. 1.27 2 Pet. 1.4 that thereby he might make him a lovely and suitable Object for those ends Man was the Flower Crown and Quintescence of the whole Creation not so much because he had a Reasonable Soul and a more Noble Nature but because he was created in the Image of God God puts the Accent on that part of his Workmanship several times Gen. 1.26 27.5 1. Eccl. 7. ult to which the Apostle alludes Col. 3.10 This was the Creature that God saw very good as fitted for these ends namely to be the objects of his love and delight Gen. 1.31 God made them after his own Heart meet and answerable to his gracious purposes and intentions but man quickly marr'd and disrobed himself and thereby made himself utterly uncapable and unworthy of Gods Delight Complacency and Communion so that now God had not a Creature left in the World to delight in and have Communion withal But that he might not be altogether destitute of some to take up withal he chose a certain number with a design to make them Vessels of Honour and to prepare them for this his special use namely to be his Companions to solace himself with them and rejoyce in them as with his Friends and Lovers Zeph. 3.17 Isa 63.3 4. The Book of Canticles abundantly declares it Now this he doth accomplish in and upon them in and by Regeneration or making them New Creatures By Regeneration God in measure and degree restores to them what they sinfully lost by their Rebellion against and Apostacy from God and reposes them with and of his Grace and Nature which they had deprived themselves of by which they lost that love delight and complacency that God had to and in them and that Communion he had with them whilest they kept their integrity and intended them for in creating them I say God restores to them and creates in them that which will for ever make them lovely and delightful unto him by regenerating them he puts his Grace and Spirit into them Ezek. 36.25 26 27. stamps and impresses his own glorious Nature and Image on them Col. 3.10 imputes the Righteousness of Christ to them 2 Cor. 5. ult and infuses his Holiness into the whole man and so makes them lovely and beautiful by the comeliness that he hath of his own put upon them Ezek. 16.14 Then he loves and delights then he takes complacency in them and then he enters into and holds communion with them with satisfaction for his own Image and Grace sake as well as for his own love and Sons sake Joh. 13.1 Pro. 8.17 Joh. 14.21.23 Pro. 15.8 Zeph. 3.17 Isa 63.3 4. 1 Joh. 1.3 1 Cor. 1.9 These are some but not all the Ends of God in regenerating men which must be obtained in this world But besides these that concern this life there are others that concern Christ his coming and the Eternal states of Gods Elect. A word of these and I have done with this 1 The Elect are the Spouses of Christ by Christs Purchase and Gods Gift to him they were given to him Joh. 6.37 Joh. 10.29 that he might Marry them and take them into a Conjugal Relation as you have heard before in pursuance of Gods Ends in giving them to Christ he pays a price for them and purchases them for himself for although they are said to be given to Christ yet he could not get them out of Prison but by paying their debts and full ransom which Divine Justice demanded 1 Cor. 6.20 and then comes and requires his own and contracts and takes them to himself and by regenerating them he shews himself unto them and acquaints them with himself perswades them to consent to his Proposals and chuse him for their Husband and so by his Grace in their hearts they freely willingly and chearfully give their consent and Christ and they do mutually give themselves to each other and take each other into a Matrimonial state and resolution This cannot be done without Regeneration for men are not adorn'd with a personal loveliness and made meet for Christ until they are made partakers of the Divine Nature and are beautified with his Image which makes them meet Companions for him So they will by no means be perswaded to consent to have him for their Head and Husband and resign up themselves unto him until they have their hearts and states changed by his Spirit and Grace in Regeneration And therefore I say that Regeneration is absolutely necessary to bring persons into a Conjugal Relation to Christ But yet there is more to be done than what I have yet said and which I aim at in what I have spoken namely that the Contracted Bride is to make her self ready for the great Marriage day or for the compleatment of the Marriage Solemnities which shall be at Christ his second Personal coming when he shall receive his Bride unto himself and carry her home to his own Royal Palace in State and Glory John 14.3 Revel 19 1-8 Matth. 25.31 32. For this day and the great Solemnity of it Christ must have his Bride in a state and practical readiness to meet her Bridegroom in the Clouds where he will come with his Attendants in great State and send his Angels for his Bride to come to him where he will wait to receive and imbrace her and then will the Lord make his great Feast called the Supper of the Lamb and a Feast of fat things to which Feast and Marriage she must come ready deckt with all her Ornaments and Wedding Garments that she may be suitable unto her Husband For what hath been said see these Scriptures Matth. 25.32 33 34. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Rev. 19.9.17 Isa 25.6 Now I say the Lord Jesus exhorts her or them to get and make themselves ready for
themselves and not at all to God 14 No man can be made free of the Heavenly City and Spiritual Corporation nor be set at liberty from bondage and thraldome but in and by Regeneration All men are by Nature in bondage to the Devil and Lusts as you heard before but Regeneration is the year or day of Release and Enlargement to imprisoned Souls for then comes Jesus Christ opens the Prison doors and brings out his Prisoners Joh. 8.36 Gal. 5.1.13 until then they lye in the Dungeon of darkness bound hand and foot with Fetters of Iron and shut in under Impenitency Ignorance and Vnbelief and cannot get forth until the Jubilee comes and proclaims Liberty to them Isa 61.1 2. Zach. 2.11 Then are they made Free Citizens of the New Jerusalem and have their Freedom given them to live and Trade in Heaven for heavenly and everlasting Commodities Eph. 2.19 Phil. 3.20 Behold the necessity then of Regeneration 15 No man can be actually and personally justified pardoned and acquitted without Regeneration but are held under the Guilt and Curse of the Law for they must first believe unto Justification of life before they can obtain a discharge and take out an Acquittance under the Hand and Seal of the Holy Ghost Eph. 1.13 Rom. 5.18 but this they cannot do for want of Faith until they are Regenerated and thereby made partakers of this glorious Grace 16 No man can fear God aright namely with a godly filial fear nor indeed can he stand in awe of God and sin not or walk in the fear of God all the day long as commanded Pro. 23.17 Psal 4.4 until they be Regenerated for who can so fear and reverence God until God put it into his heart to do it Jer. 32.39 40. for if they could and had they wherewithal to do it without this Grace of God to what purpose hath God promised to do it himself and declared it to be a choise and singular Gift and Grace of his own giving and working in their hearts I will says God put my fear into their hearts that they may not depart from me and that they may fear me for ever And how can men fear God with a filial or Child-like fear until they are made Children by Regeneration and begotten again by his Word and Spirit 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 Joh. 3.5 17 No man can make the Glory of God his greatest end and aim and really design to please and honour God in his words and deeds without Regeneration therefore it is absolutely necessary We are indispensably bound to make God the chief and great aim and end of all our undertakings and to seek design and endeavour with all possible seriousness and diligence to please honour and exalt him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.23 Pro. 3.9 Col. 1.10 1 Thes 4.1 But this we cannot do until a new Spring of Life and Divine Principles be put into us by Regeneration for we are by Nature wholly selfish are quite swallowed up in sinful carnal self Self is the principle motive and end of all our thoughts words and deeds Self-pleasure profit ease honour and security have only Self in the bottom and top of every Good as well as Evil in Religious as well as Civil works And how can it be otherwise with us the Fountain of our Natures being so miserably corrupted and depraved as it is And it is a truth that the Streams cannot rise higher than the Fountains from whence they come 18 No man can be the object of Gods delight and complacency until he be Regenerated because they have nothing that is lovely and desirable in them Before Regeneration men are hateful vile and abominable in the sight of God as hath been shewed as they are sinners and unwashed It is the Nature and Image of God that is the Object of Gods delight and complacency in men for the God of Holiness cannot look on iniquity he is of purer eyes than to do so Habuk. 1.13 and this Nature and Image we have not until we are Regenerated and made New Creatures by Grace for till then God looks on us as in our blood Ezek. 16. Rom. 3. 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. and stamps his own Nature and Image on us to make us clean pure lovely and delightful in his eyes He beautifies men with his Ornaments that he may take pleasure in and rejoyce with them Zach. 3.17 19 No man can claim a Right unto and Interest in the Covenant and Promises without Regeneration for they are not under neither have they any interest in them whilest they lay in their blood and continue in their state of Enmity against God No man can be interested in the Promises and Covenant of Grace and Life that is not interested in Christ and no man is interested in Christ until he be a New Creature All the Promises are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and they are made ours by virtue of our having of and being in Christ and when we are in Christ all is ours 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. and not till then then we may claim and use them as ours but not till then 20 No man can be in a state of Grace and Life without Regeneration no man can be a holy gracious and good man until he be Regenerated Whatever good things he may have act and do yet he is in a state of sin and death still until he pass under Regeneration He may be washed without yet he is a Swine still he may put on Sheeps cloathing but he is a Wolf still he may be enlightned but is in a state of darkness still and he may believe many Truths and yet be an Vnbeliever still 2 Pet. 2.20.22 Matth. 7.15 Heb. 6.4 Joh. 8.30.44 Acts 8.13.23 But I see I must contract my self lest I run beyond my intentions and therefore shall briefly sum up what I have further to say on this Head that I may presently dismiss it Therefore I say that as we stand in absolute need of Regeneration for the Reasons and Ends already named so likewise for those that follow which I shall but name We cannot take up in God as in our portion satisfaction and only happiness without Regeneration neither can we chuse him for the great and only delight of our Souls without it We cannot have our wills bowed to and swallowed up into the Will of God nor freely chearfully and dutifully yield up our selves to his disposement without Regeneration We cannot rejoyce in Christ Jesus nor in tribulation and bearing the Cross nor yet in doing good and working Righteousness without Regeneration We cannot be dutifully and thankfully patient under and contented with an afflicted state and condition nor demean and carry our selves well in it without Regeneration We cannot be fruitful in every good work nor bear fruit unto Eternal Life without Regeneration We cannot highly esteem and set a due nor a right value on Christ his Person Blood Laws and Grace nor on the great love and kindness of God
Ministers on Earth cannot pull down this strong hold and it is as great an Adversary as any Christ hath in the world to obstruct his Grace it is the Great Goliah that stands in open defiance against Christ and makes the stoutest resistance against our Regeneration Again our Self-righteousness is an other great obstacle and Bull-work against our Regeneration Men have long been building up that which God will and must pull down in regenerating us God will not suffer our own Babels to stand when he comes to set up Zion in our hearts neither will he let Dagon alone when he comes to set up his Ark in us All our works conceits and imaginations are but Rubbish and Dirt that must be thrown away and cast out to make way for his building and therefore God begins here namely to overturn demolish and remove out his way the strong Towers and Fortresses of our own high thoughts conceits works and vain imaginations that so we being left destitute of succour and grounds of hope in our selves we may freely comply and joyn Issues with God in his works of Grace in us But now when God comes to do this O what strong resistance and violent opposition doth our Self-righteousness and good conceits of our selves make against God and the works of his Grace God would undo us that he may make us he would pull us down and quite deface our own Structures that he may build and set up his own in us Buch such are our conceits and apprehensions of our sufficiency goodness righteousness acceptable and worthy performances as that we harden our hearts against all Convictions of the invalidity and nothingness yea vanity and sinfulness of them and are exceedingly averse to and unwilling of any alteration cannot endure to think of losing all that we have wrought for so many years and after so much labour and confidence peace and satisfaction in our states and what we have done to lose all at once and be beholding at last only to the free gift of another flesh and blood will never endure it and therefore makes all possible opposition against it Men have been long rich and happy in their own eyes and therefore cannot bear to be undone and impoverished to be poor and miserable wretched and naked And hence it is that they shut their eyes and stop their ears against Light and Gods gracious Invitations They will have none of him because they fancy they have enough and do and may do enough of their own to make them happy This was the case of some of the Laodiceans Rev. 3.17 they thought themselves rich and had need of nothing and that when they were wretched naked and miserable Thus it was with Paul before he was Regenerated Phil. 3.4 5 6 7. And this was one of the great obstructions that hindred the Jews from receiving the Grace of Christ tendred them by Christ and his Apostles John 8 and 9 Chapters And in Luke 18.9 10 11 12. their self-conceited righteousness and light their priviledges and good works made them such desperate resolute violent and stout opposers of the Grace of God and thus is still the nature and effect of it in all the Sons and Daughters of men as sad experience shews And as Self-righteousness and a good Opinion of our selves is a strong Bar to fence us against Gods Regenerating work so are vain and groundless hopes likewise These oppositions and contradictions do all hang together in a string as so many Links in a Chain where one is all are but one may be stronger in one man and another in another man Men are by Nature exceeding full of presumptious hopes and confidences they seign that God will save them because he is good and merciful to sinners although they continue in their filthiness and practical abominations in their blindness and unregenerate states The Conceptions of Gods Mercies proves snares and dangerous Rocks to unregenerate men while they confidently conclude that God will have mercy on and save them because he is merciful though they live and die in their unregenerate states and condition although the Word of God tell them the contrary Isa 27.11 This is the vain hope of hypocrites mentioned in Job 8.13 14. which shall perish with them Presumptious confidences and vain hopes are natural to us and we will take hold of any broken Reed to keep us from despondency or making a right judgment of our selves states and ways rather than yield to the counsels of God and suffer him to save us in his own way and by his own means This vain presumptious hope is that which arms and strengthens the Soul against Christ and lies in a direct opposition to our Regeneration Again Hardness of heart is a great Bar to Regeneration We are by Nature hardened in sin and in fond conceits of our good conditions and therefore the work of Regeneration in us must needs be very hard and difficult work We are so hardened by sin and we harden our selves more and more when God hands out Light to us to see our states and lead us to himself When God comes to Regenerate then we are most insensible of our conditions and harden our hearts most against him even then when he would soften and melt us break and humble us we were hard and knotty pieces before but then we make our selves much harder for then we do purposely and designedly set our selves against God and his workings and as water strives with greater vehemency against opposition so do our hard hearts against the Spirits operations in us to renew and change us Ezek. 3.7 Pharoah was a hard-hearted man before God sent Moses and Aaron to him but then he set himself to harden his heart against God and his Word more than ever So when God sent the means of Grace to the Jews and strove with them to bring them to himself the more he wrestled with them exhorted and perswaded them to receive his Grace and become New Creatures the more they strove and fought against him Acts 19. Acts 28. until God judicially hardened them also and then they were sealed up as it were to the day of wrath Joh. 12.40 Then 't is ever after a hard and impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 Lastly Enmity There is in every natural man most stout and strong Enmity against God which is implacable and irreconcileable There can no peace or friendship be had with an implacable Enemy and a man that is at real Enmity with us until he be changed The Carnal mind is not only an Enemy to God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emnity against God Rom. 8.7 And in Rom. 1.31 they are said to be implacable Enmity will never be won and made to yield either by fair or foul means but such is the nature of it as that it will rather die on the place than conform to any tolerable terms of friendship with an Adversary But the Enmity of our Natures is most stout stubborn and desperate
leads theâ— to and directs them to walk in it 2 Cor. 4.6 Isa 30.20 21. but unregenerate men do stumble at it they know not whether they go because darkness hath blinded their eyes 1 Joh. 2.11 But the path of the Just is as the shining light that shining more and more unto the perfect day Pro. 4.18 5. They see and know in measure what Communion with God is or what it is to have Communion with God they might hear of such a thing before but now they know whaâ— it means They are called into the Fellowship of Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 1 Joh. 1.3 It is their promised priviledge and blessing and they have the real experimental knowledge of it Joâ— 14.21.23 But unregenerate men have iâ— not know it not it is none of their priviledge they desire they chuse it not They are in Fellowship with the World and their Lusts and are well satisfied and contented therewith But I may not inlarge 6. They see and know the Power of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 The Word and Spirit of Christ hath fallen and wrought on and iâ— them with Power and saving Efficacy brought them into and set up Godliness in power in them 1 Thes 1.5 Rom. 1.16 Their dearts and Souls are subdued to it and swallowed up in it the Form of Godliness is a poor empty thing to them without the power of it in their heart But it is not so with unregenerate men they see not any Religion or Godliness beyond the form or outside it is not formed or set up in their hearts and therefore see little or nothing in Religion Godliness or Religious matters But unregenerate men do see and find a glorious Excellency in it it is exceeding precious lovely and profitable to them They see that worth and Excellency in it as to cause them to love and honour it to prize value and esteem it as worthy of all acceptation to cherish keep and augment it to improve and practise it and to walk worthy of it to the glory of the Giver of it 7. They see and know the vanity and nothingness of the Creature and that they are not indeed such things as they verily thought them to be before their Regeneration Their Opinion of them is changed it is now quite another thing Before they looked on them and their having and enjoying them as their portion and happiness Oh thought they what a brave thing is it to be rich what happy men are they who have abundance of riches honours pleasures they doted on them as on their Gods and Lovers and their very imaginations of them ravished their hearts but now they see their folly and how they were mistaken and deluded in their judgments and imaginations They now see them to be but vanity and vexation of spirit in comparison of Christ Grace and Heavenly things Eccl. 1.2 Phil. 3.19 20. 'T is true they do not now simply contemn them but own them and use them as Gods Mercies thank and praise him for them but comparatively only with Christ Grace and Heavenly things Now they see that they are but left-hand and foot-stool Mercies that they are not worth the having nor coveting after but with and in Christ Grace Pardon and Holiness and in order to their living to God with them and enjoying of him in them But unregenerate men see them with other eyes and they have other thoughts of them They account them their good things as the only or chiefest good their great portion and happiness and accordingly they act walk and steer their course follow after them and greedily pursue them Luk. 16.25 Rom. 8.5 For indeed whatever they do profess or pretend to the contrary they do not see nor mind any higher good 8. They see and know the vanity and emptiness of that which they did bear upon and glory in namely their own Righteousness They once thought that they had that in them and such works were performed by them as would commend them unto God and incline his heart to love and pity them to accept and save them But now they see they were deceived that all their Righteousnesses are but filthy rags dirt and dung and that they are so far from being accepted or accounted of in Heaven as that they are matters of contempt and loathing Phil. 3.7 8. Isa 64.6 Matth. 23. So that that which was their glory is now their shame Their Gay Cloathing are now meer Rags in their account Why Because they see with other eyes and by a better light than they did before They see they were building themselves on a Sandy Bottom which would have sunk under them and they and it must have perished together had they not been taken off it by the power of Regenerating Grace But now this is all they have to glory in who are Professors of Godliness in an unregenerate state namely God I thank thee I am not as other men I fast twice in the week I give Tythes of all that I possess c. Luke 18.9 10 11 12. Phil. 3.7 9. They see and know the Lord Jesus Christ and his Gospel-will revealed in Scripture they are spiritualized and made spiritual men by Regeneration and thereby are enabled to judge all or of all spiritual things in measure 1 Cor. 2.15 They heard of Christ and his Will before but now they see and know him and it But more of this anone 10. They see and know in measure the great work of real Gospel-Obedience what it is how to be performed and also the holy Ghost his teachings helpings quickenings and comfortings in and to their Gospel-Obedience They see wide difference between meer doing of that which is good and that with and by meer natural helps and principles and that which is real Gospel Obedience of the heart in it Ro. 6.17 as likewise the Spirits helping their Infirmities Ro. 8.26 But Unregenerate men know nothing of these matters But I have done with this These are some and but some of the things matters and objects which by regenerating light they are enabled to see and discern as you that are regenerated can witness Now then try your selves by what hath been already said of seeing or of the seeing and knowing sense Secondly as Regenerate Persons can see and do know the matters and things they saw not before so secondly they are enabled to see and understand such spiritual things and matters which they had some knowledge of before their Regeneration more clearly plainly distinctly experimentally and powerfully then they did or could before For they had only a dim weak and general natural and spiritual light and sight before They did see but understood not what they saw Isa 6.9 They are like Men or Children that see some rare and pretious Jewels or Cordials but know not what they are neither understand the worth excellency and usefulness of them as Artificers do or like such as hear Musick in a strange Tone and Language they know not what it means
hast been brought forth and born again in pain and with grief and trouble of Soul Every natural Child is brought forth with sorrow and pain Joh. 16. and every nâ—w-born Babe is brought forth with sorrow and pain The Lord Jesus hath been in Travail Sorrow and Pain for them that are and shall be regenerated to purchase their new Birth Isa 53.3.11 he had the hardest labour and strugling for thee he was in the greatest and most dreadful Agony and anguish of Soul that could be to procure thy Regeneration and new State he had many a woful and grievous throw many a sigh and groan and he sweat many drops of Blood for thee when he was Sacrificing his life to Divine Justice for thy Redemption and Sanctification to Redeem thee from thy old state of Sin and Misery Luk. 22.44 Math. 26. and to make thee one of his peculiar people Tit. 2.14 Eph. 5. And as he hath been in Pain and Travail for thee so if thou art Regenerated he hath given thee a small Taste of his Pains and Sorrows in thy birth Thou hast not been brought forth without sighs groans throws Pains and Sorrows no but thou hast found much Strugling and many pangs of heart It is true that all Children are not born with the same degree and measure of pains and sorrows Some Women feel more some less in their Travail but all have some In Sorrow thou shalt bring forth Children says God Gen. 3.16 so he says of all sinners that he will Regenerate if grown persons in sorrow shalt thou be Regenerated and made a New Creature Thou shalt taste and feel what an evil and bitter thing it is to be a sinner and under my Wrath the dominion of Lusts and the Devil That thou hast forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters Jer. 2. Rebelled against me thrown off my Yoke and obeyed the Devil rather than me Thou shalt know that I have observed all thy contemptuous slightings of my Son my Grace and Mercy and causing me to stand wait and knock for thee and thou d'st not hearken to me When God Regenerates men he lets loose Sin Guilt Devil his Law and Vengeance on the Souls and Consciences of such for a time and the Spirit of God who is the great Agent in Regenerating them Joh. 3.5 makes himself as a Spirit of Bondage to them and seemingly to their own sense puts them into and leaves them in a far worse case and condition than they were in before Rom. 8.15 so that now their sinful peace carnal security vain and foolish hopes and confidences are all broken and shattered and they are left to the wide world to shift for themselves and that when they are encompassed about with fears and miseries and have none to comfort them but are like men shut up in doubts fears and distractions not knowing what to do nor what to think of their conditions They are condemned by the Law and their own Consciences and they see themselves bound over to answer for all their Transgressions at the Judgment Seat of God They see themselves in straits and miseries and know not how to help themselves neither can they find any that will or can for they look upon God as their Enemy and are afraid of him This makes them cry out O What shall we do to be saved How or by whom shall we be delivered Acts 2.37 Acts 16.29 30. Now their Hearts Heads and Souls are in travelling pains and pangs greatly longing to be delivered like men that are sinking into the bottom of the Sea and never like to be saved Thus they are brought forth in pain and Sorrow And God hath many wise and gratious ends in dealing thus with them which in due time they shall see and bless him for For by bringing forth the new Creature thus he greatly imbitters Sin to them shews them their own vileness weakness and wretchedness and causes them to loath themselves and hate their Sin endears and commends Jesus Christ his Grace and love to them and stirs them up to seek after him and cleave to him the more seriously and heartily Thirdly The new Creature is of a humble meek and lowly nature it is like the Father and Authour of it the Lord Jesus he was meek and lowly in heart and life Math. 11.29 Christ was of a Lamb-like Dove-like nature Spirit and Carriage in his life and Death In his life Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God In his death under exceeding great contemps innumerable Injuries he was as a Lamb Acts. 8.32 so his Saints are often called his Sheep and Lambs My sheep hear my voice Joh. 10.27 and his Lambs Joh. 21.15 so he calls them his Doves Câ—nt 2.14 Cant. 5.2 and so they call Christ Cant. 5.12 now who knows not these Creatures to be meek lowly and humble and because they are generally known so to be and are so in their own nature the Lord Jesus sets out and shews us what his new Creatures are in their natures and carriages by them and they are such indeed or they are not the real Sheep Lambs and Doves of the Lord Jesus for all his People participate of his nature they are of Poor Meek Humble and lowly Spirits Words and Carriages in measure like their head Christ how Proud and Lofty so ever they were before Christs Regenerating Grace is certainly Soul-humbling Spirit-meekening and Heart-debasing Grace where-ever it is It Turns Lyons into Lambs Wolves into Sheep and Ravenous Birds into sweet Doves For they are Regenerated with the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 and they are said to be as he is in the world 1 Joh. 4.17 And as they are so by nature or there new birth so likewise by their Light and consideration Their habits are improved and strengthened by their own endeavours as by Gods own Proper means 1. They see so much of their own Vileness Wretchedness Nakedness and Impotency as to make them loath themselves and they see so much of their former and past Transgressions and Sins as to cause them to abhor and condemn themselves Job 42. They do now see themselves and ways with another kind of light and judgment than they did before so that now their Self-justifying is turn'd into Self-condemning and their high thoughts into low and Self-debasing thoughts of themselves They were never so high in their own Eyes as now they are low and never so worthy and sufficient as now they are unworthy and nothing Phill. 3.7.2 They see in measure the holyness and Righteousness of God and his Laws and the great unsuitableness of their hearts and wayes unto them and the sight and Sense thereof greatly humbles and debases them Isa 6.5 Job 42.5.6 And as they are humbled and debased at the sight and knowledg of these things so also their serious pondering and considering them doth further shame humble and abuse them They do consider and lay these things to heart and do
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
That they may greatly rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God 1 Rom. 5.2 and for that glorious resurrection that is promised To this hope they are called in their Regeneration Eph. 1.18.44 and this is one of the fruits of the spirit in their hearts ever after 5. Joy Joy is another holy passion in good men There is the natural passion of joy in all men and there is the Spiritual passion of joy in Regenerate men There is the object or matter of joy and there is the joy it self and also the faculty or subject of joy The object or matters of joy and rejoycing to good men are Christ Grace and heavenly things Phill. 3.1.3 Phil. 44. Psal 4.4 Psal 32. ult 2 the joy its self which flows forth from these objects or matters of joy into their hearts For experience shews that sometimes the objects of joy are shut up and yield no joy at all to us when we do eye and mind them and would fain draw it out of them but they are like Clouds that give down no rain at all sometimes or as a Fountaine shut up 〈◊〉 sealed Cant. 4.12 But at other times they are opened to us and then the joy of the Lord refreshes and chears strengthens and warmes our Souls This is given us of God the Father Christ and the holy Spirit as a special expression of his Love and Grace to us The objects of joy will not afford it until he give it or command them to hand it out to us Psal 133.3 Rom. 14.17 Rom. 15.13 Gall. 5.22 Joh. 14. Job 15.11 Joh. 6.20 3 There is the faculty or subject of joy that is that which is onely capable of receiving the impressions of the joy of the Lord in the Soul and improving it aright This is that we call the affection or passion of joy and this is given to men namely as it is a Spiritual or new passion in Regeneration For thereby God makes them subjects capable of receiving and rightly embracing valuing and useing the heavenly joy he intends for and hath promised to give unto them in their walking with him in their Regenerate states Now they can and do rejoice in Christ Jesus Phill. 3.3 in his love and Grace and in his will and their duty Rom. 7.22 Psal 40. now they praise God with joyful lips Psal 63.5 and shout for joy of heart Psal 32. ult Now they rejoyce and work righteousness and walk on in their way rejoycing Acts 8.39 Isa 64.5 Their hearts are full of great and unspeakable joy at some seasons so as that their Vessels can now hold no more 1 Pet. 1.8 With this Holy Joy in their hearts they can run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40. ult Neh. 8.10 6. Sorrow This is in a sense a contrary passion or affection to that of Joy There is a natural and carnal sorrow and a holy and spiritual sorrow or grief of heart the first is common to all men the second is only found in Regenerate men Sorrow in a natural sense is an evil but in a spiritual sense it is a good passion Joy and sorrow are strong and vehement working passions in men when strongly imprest and deeply affected with real or supposed evil or good There is a worldly and there is a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 Regeneration brings into and sets up the godly sorrow in men and thereby they are enabled to sorrow after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 This passion is moved and imprest and the acts of godly sorrow are produced by several and these different objects and matters First their own lusts sins and God-provoking abominations their vileness and filthiness and their former contempts of Christ and despising slighting and rejecting his Love Grace Yoke Promises and Kindnesses These and many other evils and the serious thoughts and considerations of them do break and wound their hearts and cause much inward grief anguish and sorrow of heart and make them cry out unclean unclean what shall we do or how shall we appear before the holy and righteous God Acts 2.35 36 37 Acts 16. This causes them to sigh and mourn and erercise revengeful thoughts against themselves and to take indignation of themselves condemn abhor and loath themselves Ezek. 36.31 2 Cor. 7.11 And secondly the serious thoughts and considerations of the God Christ Grace Love and Kindness they have sinned against They see know and lay to heart who they have grieved wounded and dishonoured namely their God who had thoughts of love and peace for them when they were in their blood Ezek. 16. Jer. 29. They hope they had an interest in his heart and that he loved them before they loved God yea when they hated him and would have none of his counsel 1 Joh. 4.19 Pro. 1. They likewise see and consider the great Love and Grace of Christ and what great things he hath done and suffered for them to saâ—â— them from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1. ult The thoughts of the exceeding great patience and long-suffering of God towards them his pittying them and waiting on and for them that he might be gracious to them Isa 30.18 Rom. 2.4 5. Rom. 10. ult his standing at the door and knocking for them to have admission into their hearts Rev. 3.20 and how willing and importunate he was to be at peace and in friendship with them how basely and unworthily they carried themselves towards him and how they turned a deaf ear to his Calls and Invitations and made him wait so long for their acceptance of him even until his Locks were wet with the dew of the right Cant. 5. This works grief and raises great sorrow in their hearts So when they consider how their sins have stabb'd and murdred the Lord Jesus and put him to open shame Heb. 6 6. how they pulled down the wrath and Curse of God on him Gal. 3.12 and how he poured out sighs tears yea his precious Blood and Soul for them Isa 53. and likewise how their sins were imputed to and laid on him and how he was Crucified and killed for them and all to save them and instate them in his own Glory and Eternal Blessedness 2 Cor. 5. ult Joh. 10. Joh. 17. and how ungratefully they have demeaned themselves to him Oh! how doth this work on them how do these things irritate and cause sorrow and bitterness of Soul in them Now they can indeed look on him whom they have pierced and mourn and be in real bitterness of Soul as for their First-born Zach. 12.10 These and many other things which I cannot now mention do greatly melt them and provoke holy Sorrow and Repentance unto Life for as Christ his Love Grace and Sufferings do work on their passion of Joy irritates and provokes it so they do work on and cause much sorrow and grief of heart through the helps of the Spirit likewise The same objects and matters do work savingly and effectually on both namely to
charg their hearts with it and lay bonds on themselves to do it Psal 18.1 Psal 116.1 Cant. 1.4 They use Gods means to help and enable them to do it They read hear and Contemplate they meditate on consider and apply to themselves the great love of God to them and his exceeding great Lovelinesse to stir up and inflame their love to him againe They pray importunately and frequently to him to shed abroad more of his love into their hearts and to reveal himself in his Love and Grace unto their Souls that they may thereby be quickened moved and enabled to love him more Cordially and ardently They are so set upon it and so greedy after it and they do so desire and covet it as that they are never satisfied with the degree and excercise of their love to God But are unregenerate men imployed so in this work no not in the least For they have not the love of God in their hearts Joh. 5.42 Their hearts are not circumcised to love God because they are not Regenerated neither do they love or desire to have it so for when God proffers them his Spirit to do it they refuse and reject him and will not have him to concern himself with them in that matter Pro. 1.23.24 Isa 63. Gen. 6. Well then try your selves by this what can you say to it Is this special work of Regenerate men your work or is it not Be you sure of it that if you be Regenerated or born again it is your work and business But if it be not you are yet in your old and unregenerate states 2. They are exercised and imployed about the good work of searching out their own iniquities and to find out the Plagues Errours and deceits of their own hearts and ways that they may repent of their sins and mend what they find amiss To reform what ought to be reformed and to remove whatever is hurtful to their Souls or displeasing to God that they may see more cause of Self-abasement and be excited and provoked to walk more circumspectly and humbly with their God Micah 6.8 Eph. 5.15 This is not the work that Regenerate men are exercised about no but on the contrary they labour to hide their sins Pro. 28.13 Joh. 3.20 and to live in continual ignorance of their hearts states and ways that so they may live in peace and quietness at home and not be troubled at the sight of them They love and delight in their iniquities and they work and practise what they love Psal 62.4 Isa 66.3 They let their own sins alone they neither desire nor endeavour to know them but they are especially some of them great enquirers after and searchers into others transgressions which clearly demonstrates that whatever they do profess to be yet they are hypocrites Psal 64.6 Mark 32. Luke 6.7 Luke 20.20 Greater and more certain sign of a Hypocrite cannot be found than this namely for a man that professes godliness to be willingly ignorant of his own state and sins and to be a Pryer and Searcher into other mens without a clear Call from God so to do This the Hypocrites deal with Christ and Paul that they might find occasion to Charge Censure and Judge them as the aforesaid Scriptures shew and in 2 Cor. 11.12 But it is otherwise with Regenerate men they hate and abhor that filthy odious wickedness of others and make it one part of their business to know themselves and the evils of their own hearts and ways Job 13.23 Psal 77.6 1 Sam. 21.1 They cry and pray they call and wait on God to shew them all their lusts and sins such is the desire and fervency of their hearts in this matter Job 34.32 This is their work and this they do conscientiously seriously fervently heartily and frequently and that as their duty work and business in all states tryals and conditions whatsoever For they are jealous and suspitious not of others but of their own deceitful hearts Thus they do and when they have made any new discovery of their sins they bless God for their success and then they fall to another work 3. To subdue and mortifie such unmortified Lusts as they find in their hearts to purifie themselves and rectifie such errours and mistakes as upon search do appear and come to light This they are injoyned to do as their duty and this they do exercise and imploy themselves in in obedience to the Will of God because it is his Holy Will Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit And the Gospel assures us that this is the work and business of the Children of God In 1 Joh. 3 1-3 Behold saith the Apostle what manner of love is this that we should be called the Children of God This is a great and high priviledge indeed Well but what are they imployed about and exercised in Is it in making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof as unregenerate men do Rom. 13. ult no but the clean contrary namely to purifie themselves 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure The like we have mentioned Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts That is they have not fully done and effected it but they are seriously diligently and sincerely imploying and exercising themselves in and about that work and great concern of theirs This is another of their peculiar and special works and this they do and prosecute with servent prayer to God Psal 51.7 O purge and wash me that I may be clean And O wretched man that I am says Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 And as they pray for it frequently and fervently so they do meditate on and apply the Blood and Death of Christ to themselves for the effecting of it and that as Gods Ordinance and appointment for that end Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people They apply themselves unto and use all Gods means for the accomplishment of it as Fasting the Lords Supper and hearing the Gospel preached which God hath appointed to mortifie their lusts and to purifie and clean their hearts Eph. 5.25 26. John 15.3 John 17.17 Every word of God is pure and the sincere preaching and hearing of it is a powerful means to kill our lusts and purifie our hearts when heard and received in Faith for that end as Gods Ordinance Acts 15.9 Heb. 4.2 This they know and therefore they use them or for that end and purpose as well as for light and comfort But what is the work and business of unregenerate men or what do they in this matter Truly nothing at all They do neither understand or like it but are perfect strangers and enemies to it there is no principle in them to do it withal
neither do they desire there should be their minds and thoughts are wholly taken up about making provision for their Pride Covetousness Carnal Security Vain Glory Good Opinion of themselves and other filthy Lusts and they make themselves their Drudges and humble servants Rom. 13. ult And hence they are said to serve sin Rom. 6.6.17.20 But new Creatures know and account their Lusts their greatest Enemies and prosecute them with implacuble enmity and hatred They know either they must destroy their Lusts or they will destroy them They know that they have trucifyed the Son of God and put him to open shame and they know that they have greatly wronged their own Souls Pro. 8. ult And therefore they will give them no Quarter but stab them to the heart whatever it cost them to do it 4. Watching They are called to and imployed in the work of watching and guarding themselves against all their enemies This is another of their Special and peculiar works and businesses It is spetial and peculiar to new or regenerate men though it is the duty of all men yet none but they are conscientiously and dutifully imploying and exercising themselves in it But good men are 1 Joh. 5.18 But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself That is they do watch aâ—me and guard themselves so David did Psal 102.7 Psal 130.6 and the Scripture makes it one of the Special properties of good servants as well as their workes Habak 2.1 which Christ pronounces Blessed Revel 16.15 2 Cor. 11.27 Luk. 12.37 Regenerate men are beset with enemies which watch their opportunities to assault and betray them and that they know They know that Satan watches them and Lusts watch and the world watches to hurt and mischief their Souls and therefore they watch them and prepare against them It is true that good men are apt to be too negligent in this duty and need stirings up to it and it is as true that they do ordinarily practice this duty and worke They are moved to it 1 by the will and command of God God requires them to watch guard themselves Mark 13.33 34 37. 1 Their own hearts Pro. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence 2 the Devil 1 Pet. 5.8 Be Sober be Vigilant for your adversary the Devil as a Roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 3 The World Luk. 21.34.36 4 To watch unto prayer and all other duties Col. 4. and Acts 20.31 1 The Calls to and opportunities for them that through heedlesness and inadvertency we let them not slip away from us without imbracing and improving them to the Glory of God and our Souls profit or advantage of others 2 That we may close in and joyn Issues with God and his designes in giving them to us and that in the time and season of them and that freely and readily 2 They are moved to a fervent attendance on this work and duty by and from their dangers They are in continual danger of assaults and surprizalls from them and therefore they must be always upon their watch to prevent their designs discover their plots and foyl them in their Attempts 3 From their own security and comfort they are moved to this worke It is easier keeping an Enemy out of the Garison of the heart then dealing with and driving him out â—hen admitted in Their own as well as Christs honour safety and happiness is much concerned in their so doing God hath 1 committed themselves to their own keeping and given them the care and charge of themselves 1 Joh. 5.21 Pro. 4.23 Jam. 1. ult 'T is true â—â—at God doth watch over and keep them in especially manner also Isa 27.3 1 Pet. â—5 and that when they are most careful to â—eep themselves 2 God hath intrusted them with power light will and abilities to keep themselves and in their doing of it in obedience to his will he hath promised to keep and secure them from Sin and danger likewise 1 Pet. 5.7.2 Tim. 4.18 They watch and keep themselves dutifully in order to their safety and God keeps and watches them powerfully and effectually so as that the sâ—es of Hell shall not prevaile against them Math. 16.18 But they cannot so keep and secure themselves with their utmost diligence This I say is the work and imployment of regenerate persons they and they only live in the practice of it Unregenerate persons do no way concern themselves in this great and special work They know it not they love it not neither have they hearts to do it withal They think it a work of supererogation and that such as are busied about it are more strict and precise than they should be They fear neither God Sin World nor Devil neither are they sensible of the danger they are in of destruction but go on securely in the wayes of their own hearts and speak peace unto themselves presuming that no evil shall come to them 5 They are employing and exercising themselves in worshiping God according to his own will and Appointment namely to worship God in Spirit and Truth and that with his own worship We are they sayes Paul of himself and other Saints who worship God in Spirit Psal 3.3 They are convinced that they must and that God will so be worshiped of them Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth For this self-same thing though not onely doth God Regenerate men and thereby lays in and sets up a principle of divine worship in them that so they may readily do it according to the will of God For sayes Christ the Father seeketh such to worship him Joh. 4.23 that is that the Father doth by Christs Gospel and the holy Ghost call and regenerate teach and Spirit some to worship him It is their desire choice care and study to draw nigh to God in all parts of his worship with true hearts Heb. 10.22 and to worship God sincerely and Spiritually To please and honour him to sanctify his name and holy worship and to give unto the Lord the honâ—â—â— due unto his name to comply with his holy will and ends to make his praise glorious Psal 29.1 2. Psal 66.2 This is also one of their high and noble works holy and Spiritual imployments and that wherein their Souls delight to this they are called for this they are in part fitted and qualified in their Regeneration and this is their work and business ever â—â—er Thus it is with you and so is your â—ractice if you are Regenerated Unregeneâ—â—te men are strangers and adversaries to this peculiar work and duty of new Creatures they know it not they do it not neither conâ—â—rn themselves with it They take up in and are satisfied with the Letter without the Spirit with the form without the Truth and â—â—er of Godliness and they imagine that they have done God good service when they have spent some time in external duties and ordiâ—ances without the great
Joh. 14.6 and therefore cannot deceive us in and by what he speaks We are taught this Doctrine by Christ and therefore we may and must believe it as a real Truth He certainly knows their persons and number though he keeps that to himself as a secret not fit for us to know But although simply they are a great number no doubt on 't yet if compared to the number or multiude of unregenerate Professors they are but a very small number For says the Lord Jesus Many are called but few are chosen Math. 23 16. that is many come to the Word and Ordinances of the Gospel and there they are called upon to come to Christ and believe in him but they do not will not come to him nor accept him on his own tearms John 5.40 But why not why will they not answer Christs call and come in on his Invitation why because they are not chosen To the same purpose he speaks in John 10 26. But ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you Secondly This Truth is further evidenced by their general frames walking and want af all those qualifications and Attainments that all new Creatures or Regenerate persons have Regenerate men are Singular and peculiar men Tit. 2.14 Caleb was a man of another Spirit and followed God fully Numb 14.24 he was of a choice singular and Peculiar Spirit much above and different from the Spirit of the Generality of the Congregation with whom he walked So all the Children of God are persons of another namely of a Choice Singular and Peculiar spirit They differ as much from other men as Gold from dross Light from darkness and in some sense as good from evil Their frames of heart their qualifications and atttainments and their carriages and walkings towards God and men are vastly different for Regenerate men are men of other Spirits They are 1 knowing men they see and discern Spiritual things Spiritually Eph. 1.18 1. Cor. 2.12.13.14 They are Children of light Eph. 5.8 But all others are Children of darkness Eph. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 Now how few are their Comparatively that have the eies of their understandings thus enlightned how few are their that see and understand the things of God and the Lord Jesus Christ with a Spiritual Judgment and discerning Regenerate men are men of wisdome Mica 6.9 they have hidden wisdom of God and divine things in them 1 Cor. 2.7 But how few Spiritually wise Professors of the Gospel are there to be found All other men are called fools in scripture Pro. 1.7 22 32. Eccles 5 1. Eph. 5.15 2. How few are there among the multitudes of Professors that can indeed experience a real Change of heart and State many very many are reformed and have the outside changed and that they think is Regeneration when it is but a Reformation of their own not a work of God on their hearts making them new within and changing their frame habits and course Nicedemus was a reformed but not a new man his outside was clean but his heart and Soul was unsanctified and in darkness and so were the Scribes and Pharisees too Math. 23.26 27 28. and Paul was in the same plight and condition likewise before his conversation or Regeneration Phil. 3.4 5 6. Acts 23.1 Concerning the Law says he I was blamless and I love walked in all good Conscience before God â—unt 〈◊〉 day 3. How few are there that deny themselves take 〈◊〉 the cross of Christ and follow him without which day cannot be his disciples Luk. 14.26.27 〈◊〉 there any Self-deniers amongst them but 〈◊〉 little flock and smal Remnant did not the â—â—ng man in Luk. 18. Stick at this and here Christ and he parted and did not they in John 〈◊〉 tell Christ this was a hard saying and thereupon went away from him and walked no more with him Joh. 6.60.66 Peter and the little â—ock came fully and freely up to his terms and continued with him 67.68.69 Verses How few are there but are Lovers of pleasures more thâ—n Lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 that will deny themselves of any worldly carnal pleasures profits or Interests for Christ Grace and hosiness or so much as take any pains be at any Costs or deny themselves of any thing that is near and dear unto them to please and hoâ—our Christ to have communion with and to be saved by him in his own way 4. How few are there that do seriously and in Good Earnest seek and strive to be saved that take the kingdome of Heaven by a holy violence or that ran so as if they were fully set and bent to â—in the prize and wear the Crown of life and Righteousness And yet all men and women that are Regenerated do and all that shal win the prize wear the Crown and obtain Salvation by Christ must so strive run and press into the kingdom of Heaven Luk. 13.24 Math. 11.12.1 1 Cor. 9.24 Heb. 12.1 without which they shall not obtain them When God Regenerates men he sets them a Running for an Incorruptible Crown Striving to be saved and to take the kingdom by a kind of violence But assuredly there are but few professors who do so and therefore there are but a smal number amongst them that are Regenerated For were they such indeed they would do all they can in the Lords own way to win the Crown of Righteousness in the true way of Righteousness They would do all they can to run so as to obtaine would most freely lay aside all other business to attend on this and suffer any thing rather than this Eternal concern should be neglected as all truly regenerate persons do and cannot but do They would not act and do like the foolish Virgins as the most do namely neglect to take Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps Math. 25. No they would strive and labour night and day to get Grace into their hearts as well as Light into their heads as the Wise Virgins did and they would cry and give God no rest until they had wone the Prize and got the Crown of life on their heads 5. There are but a few wounded and brokes hearted Professors and few who are indeed deeply and heartily sensible of their Misery and Sin that do really see and feel their pressing need and absolute necessity of Christ and change of state and therefore there are but a few Regenerate persons among Professors for all Regenerate Persons are deeply sensible of affected and afflicted with their own deplorable states and see an absolute necessity of Christ and interest in his Blood and Righteousness as also a real change of their states Phil. 3.7 8 9. â—â—e not the generality of Professors whole see not and feel not their sin and misery nor any need of a Phisitian to heal and save them Mat. 3.12 13. Revel 3.17 6. There are but a small number of Professors 〈◊〉 do indeed go out of themselves and take up in Christ
or that have the faith to believe in him to 〈◊〉 saving of their Souls Heb. 10. ult There are many indeed that have a Faith and pretend to believe in Christ so John 8 31. Acts 8. but very few have that faith to do so in Truth neither do they much if at all desire and seek after such a Faith but are pleased and satisfied well enough without it Oh! how few are there who have the Faith of Gods Elect and their pretious Faith that do Believe through â—race and have that Faith which purifies the heart and leads them forth and carries them out of themselves to Christ to take up in him only Tit. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. Acts 15 9 Acts 18 27. This they could and would do indeed were they Regenerated for as hath been shewed all such as are Regenerated do so in and by the light and power of Christs grace in Regeneration 7. How few are there among the great multilades of professors that love God the Lord Jesus Christ his Grace Laws People and Gospel Obedience â—â—re or so much as they do their own Lusts the world and their own carnal profits pleasures and honours Oh! how few are there that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Eph. 6. ult and with their whole hearts Math. 22.37 how few are there to be found that have their hearts circumcised to love the Lord and that have had the holy Ghost sheding abroad the love of God into their hearts as all regenerate persons have Deut. 30.6 Rom. 5.5 Is it not apparent that the most of professors are strong and greedy fervent and zealous Lovers of the world and carnal self 2 Tim. 3.2 men shall in the last dayes sayes Paul be lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then God Vers 4. And is it not really so now with the greater number of professors which shews they are in an unregenerate state and condition For were they new Creatures indeed they would love God Jesus Christ and heavenly things as the great and onely objects of their lovely delight choice and complacency All other things would be to them as they were to regenerate Paul namely diâ—â— and dung in comparison of Christ Grace Gospel-obedience Holyness Heaven and heavenly things Phil. 3. 8. How few are there who have or are about the great work of Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts in good earnest which were they â—ew Creatures indeed they would assuredly be much concerned in and busying themselves about as one of their great and indispensible workes and businesses For all regenerate persons are seriously exercising themselves in this work Gall. 5.24 they 〈◊〉 purifying their hearts by faith and perfecting holiness in the fear of God Acts. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 2 Co. 7.1 But so are not the Generality of professors they are strangers if not eneâ—ies to this work They are as was said in 〈◊〉 with them they are their joy and deâ—ight and who will seek and unfainedly endeavour to destroy them they love deilght and take pleasure in These are onely the works of regenerate men 9. How few are there who do unfainedly repent 〈◊〉 their Sins and mourn night and day for their transgressions are in real bitterness of soul and abase Judge and condemn themselves which if they were regenerated they would 〈◊〉 They would humble themselves be ashamed of themselves for uncovering their nakedness and laying open their shame before God and men and they would repent in dust and Ashes withall their hearts and Souls Job 42.5.6 Izek. 36.31 For this is the New Creatures dayly worke Regenerate men have that berefit of Christ his Resurrection and Ascension as well as others namely Repentance Acts 5.31 and that great grant and fruit of the Covenant of Grace and the blood of it Acts 11.18 Heb. 13.20 Repentance unto Life By the power of which they practice Repentance They have it in their hearts and act it in their walkings They mark and observe what they should be and what Errors and mistakes they are guilty of mourn for it and labor to mend them But do the multitude of professors do so no not in the least they cast these things out of all serious Consideration it is a work they loath and wholly neglect It is too low and base business for them to mind or concern 10. How few are there among the multitudes of professors who make it their business to please and honour God to fear and reverence him and to worship him in Spirit and Truth This or these matters would be strong and powerful on their hearts and Souls and they would labour to do it indeed were they regenerated For all regenerate men have it so on their hearts and they do really aim at and endeavour it as was before proved Phill. 3.3 God hath wrought in them that which is well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 and to worship him in Spirit and Truth Joh. 4.23 They are formed by Grace to honour and magnifie God and to make it their work and business Isa 43.21 and are created in Christ Jesus unto this and all other good works Eph. 2.10 They are renewed in knowledge to understand them and with power and will to do them Coll. 3.10 Phil. 2.13 Psal 110.3 But where are such persons to be found among Professors O! how few how this are they sown and how rarely do they appear if compared with others how few have the power of Godliness in comparison of them who take up with the meer forme how few professors are Spiritually minded persons who set their Affections on things above and not on things below Coll. 3.1 2 Rom. 8.5.6 and that have thee Conversation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trade in heaven Phil. 3.20 how few are their who guard and watch themselves and their Souls adversaries and keep their hearts with all diligence or above before all things Pro. 4 23. how few are there who labour and make it their Trade and business to be fruitful in every good worke and dound in the work of the Lord to bear much fruit unto Eternal Life and all that God may be glorified and their own Souls profited and saved by Grace Coll. 1.10 1 Cor. 15. ult Jâ—b 15.8 Rom. 6.22 How few are there who do unfainedly minde and labour to walk sincerely and uprightly with God and before him and to adorn the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Surely very few do and are so indeed Only a little little flock do they and they only are such persons within and walk so without as hath been shewed From which Proofs and Instances we may certainly conclude that there are but a very few a small number of Regenerate persons among the multitudes of professors I have I think said enough for the confirming and clearing of this Truth although I could say much more to and of it were it needful Now then what use and Improvement should we all make of this Truth Surely it is a great Truth and
you to Sing for joy of heart when others shall howl for vexation of Spirit Isa 65.13 14. This is also one of your Husbands Legacies which he bequearned to you in his last Will and Testament and therefore you may look for and confidently expect it of him John 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Joy may remain in you and that your Joy might be full so in John 16.20 But your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy And your hearts shall rejoyce and your Joy no man shall take from you vers 22. And in verse 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Joy may be full For this end he hath promised and bequeathed not only the Consolations and Joys of the Spirit but the abiding presence of the Spirit himself who is to convey and impart them unto his people Joh. 14 16 17. And calls him therefore the Comforter as in that Text so in John 14.26 and in the 15. Chapt. 26. and in the 16. Chapt. 7. 8. You have promises of being taught of God and of being made wise unto Salvation You are already renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 and now you shall be tutored up by Christ your Prophet so that you shall be still encreasing in the knowledge of God Christ Duty and heavenly things John 7.17 Eph. 4.15 1 Cor. 2.12 Isa 54.13 Psal 84.7 John 6.45 Men teach by Gods Appointment and it is his Ordinance for ever which all men are bound to attend unto and wait on as it is the Ordinance of God to them for Good in and by which God will teach men Math. 28.19 20. Eph. 4.11 17. and God teaches also God teaches and reaches the heart with his teaching but so cannot mens teaching do of themselves God teaches men powerfully convincingly and effectually and they only are made truly wise whom God teaches by his Spirit Now this is one of your Priviledges that you are the willing Scholars of Jesus Christ You have chosen him for your Prophet and Teacher and he hath chosen and accepted you for his Schollars and it is your desire to be taught of him all the things that do concern his Glory and your duty and happiness You have him engaged to you to teach you and cause you to grow in grace and in the knowledge of all things you are to know and you may and ought to believe that he will do it To make use of him apply your selves unto him rely on and expect it of him 9. You have promises of a sanctifyed use of all his dispensations towards you and that all things shall worke together for your good Your afflictions and chastisements shall not hurt but better you not spoyl but make you God shoots not his Arrows at rovers neither doth he lay his Corrisives beside your soars or apply an improper or ineffectual Medicine to your wounds He is an alseeing and alsufficient Phisitian and thorrowly discerns you maladies and what doth aile you and he can give you suitable Playsters and Physick for your distempers Psal 103.13.14 And what he can that he will in this matter do for you For your profit and care your health prosperity and salvation are the things that are in his Eye and heart All things shall work together for your good for you are his called ones and such as he loves and you are such as love him Rom. 8.28 doth your Father and Lord chastize you and make you smart why the fruit of all is to humble you to take a way Sin which you are willing to part withal and to make you partakers of his holyness and the like blessed and gracious ends and disigns are in his Eye and heart Duter 8.15.16 Isa 27.7.8.9 Heb. 12.10.11 10. You have promises of eternal Life and everlasting Blessedness with God in Heaven You have promises of an Incorruptible Inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 to which you are begotten and born You have promises of a Crown of Life Revel 2.10 Jam. 1.12 Of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 And of Glory 1 Pet. 5.4 You have promises of Living and Reigning with Christ and of being and abiding where he is and with him Revel 20. Rev. 5.10 Joh. 17. And of seeing him as he is 1 Job 3.2 You have promises of Christ his coming in Glorious state to fetch you home to his Kingdome and Palace of Holiness Glory and Joy of Honour Dignity and Renown Math. 25.32.33 Rev. 19. 1 Thes 4.16.17 Joh. 14.3 You have an Eternal weight of Glory laid up in Heaven for you and Christ is bound to secure it for and give it to you You have a blessed Hope and great Glory laid up for you and the Lord Jesus hath engaged himself to put you into the possession of all in his time It is as sure as if you had the whole already in your own hands and you must believe and expect it for neither height nor depth nor any thing shall prevent or disappoint you of it All the great things promised you are yours they are your own They are all yours by an everlasting grant of God the Father and by the purchase of Christ I mean they are the Price of his Blood and the fruits of the travail of his Soul And therefore look for them and live in continual expectation of them as of certain things These are a few of the many great and Heavenly things that are promised to you who are new Creatures or Regenerate Persons I know that I have mentioned several of them before and there promised to speak more fully of them on this head 6. You are the great objects of Gods love delight and complacency Your union with Christ Relation to him and the Divine nature on you makes you most beautiful aimable and lovely in the sight of God and he loves you with an exceeding great singular and special love It is his own loveliness that makes you lovely in his eies You have none at all of your own to commend you to his love and acceptance God saith of and to you I have loved you with an everlasting love Jer. 13.3 And therefore with loveing kindness have I drawn thee namely to accept of my Son and become new Creatures And in Eph. 2.4 The Apostle tells us that God loves his quickned or Regenerate Creatures with a great love and tells us 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.18 19. That there are Heights Depth◠Lengths and Breadths in the love of Christ t◠them yea that it is so great as that it passe◠all understanding not of Christs understanding 〈◊〉 but ours and Angels When God would express his love to Regenerate men in the mo◠Emphatical way that we are capable of conceiving or apprehending it he words it 〈◊〉 indiffinite Termes As God so loved the World namely the little World of new Creatures God so loved them Joh. 3.16 That is he greatly unexpressibly and unconceivably loved and loves them The Apostle John expresses it thus 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon
us that 〈◊〉 should be called the Children of God Behold what manner of love is this I cannot conceive much less express how great and admirable his love is to his children God onely knows how much he loves them but they do not know it no nor yet can they tell how much they do love God For love between them and God and God and them is unmeasurable innumerable unsearchable and past finding out Their love to Christ is as strong as Death that many waters cannot quench Cant. 8.6.7 O! then how great is his love to them New creatures are sick of love to Christ it is so fervent strong and working Cant. 5.8 How much more strong and fervent is Christs love to them 'T is true that Christ is a far more lovely and desirable object of and for their love and delight than themselves are for Christs for he is the fairest of Ten thousands and altogether lovely â—â—t 5.10 ult But then they have not so â—uch love for Christ in their hearts as he â—â—th for them The Lord Jesus looks on his â—â—w Creatures his Spouses like a true and â—â—hement Lover indeed Like one that is enaâ—ored and ravished with them hence we have â—â—â—en such expressions falling and droping â—â—om his pure Lips How faire and how pleasant â—â—t thou O Love for delights Cant. 7.6 And â—â—ou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse â—â—â—u hast ravished my heart with own of thine eies â—ith one chaine of thy Neck Cant. 4.9 By all which expressions of his he commends and sets out his exceeding great love to his people Oh! what a rich and invaluable priviledge is this to be so much and lye so deep iâ— the love and affections of the great God and the Lord Jesus Christ He loved you before your Regeneration so as to make you truely lovely with his Grace and Spirit with his Righteousness and holyness But now he loves you as most lovely and dilightful persons indeed He loves you now with the love of delight joy and complacency as was shewed You are his delight and Crown of rejoycing your Countenance is comely and your voice sweet to him Cant. 2.14 His Love to you is true and hearty strong and fervent fruitful and profitable and it is everlasting and unchangable he loves you notwithstanding your many unlovely carriages towards him and with all your personal deformities he taketh pleasure in you and refreshes as it were himself with you he cannot endure to see you slight and forget him or to suffer your minds and affections to depart from him he delights in you and in his love to or loving of you and the like he doth in your love to or loving of him The more you love him the more be sure he will unbosome himself and open unto you the hidden Treasures of his love Prov. 8.21 For his great love to you causes him to desire and call for love from you Seventhly You have the priviledge and great dignity of Adoption You were Vagabous and Miserable Beggars cast out to the loathing of your Persons None pitied you or took you in none hearkned to you nor cared for you neither had you any hand stretched out to help you until you came to the Lords door But there you found compassion and mercy there you found provision ready for you You knockt but once there before the the Lord of Glory came himself and opened the door to you and invited you into his house He hastned to bring the Fatted Calf and called for his best Robes took off your filthy Rags and put oâ— his own Garments of Grace Righteousness and holyness on you then he writ his own name on you and Stampt divine nature upon you and made you beautiful and desirable He gave you a new name when he made you new Creatures which is your honour and glory and the he said of and unto you These shall be my sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6. ult And hence forth he accounts and calls them so These are my Sons and my Daughters which I have formed for my self and taken into my house and family Ezek. 16.20 Isa 43.21 For they are my first born They were born for and unto me as in that of Ezekiel I have appointed and ordained them to live in my house as my Sons and Daughters and they shall go no more out or returne to their former estate again For they must abide with me for ever For the Son though not the Servant abideth for ever in his Fathers house or family as the Son of such a Father Joh. 8.35 I have says God put in their names their new names for and intituled them unto an Eternal Inheritance Coll. 1.12 Heb. 9.15 Eph. 1.11.14 1 Pet. 1.4 I have made them my heirs yea joynt heirs with my Christ whom I have given to be the heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Rom. 8.17 These shall in due time be put into the possession of their Inheritance for it is reserved in heaven for them and I will keep them for it 1 Pet. 1.4.5 and in the mean time they have and shall keep in their hands their hearts the Earnest and first fruits of it namely the holy Spirit of Promise He is the Spirit of adoption to and in them Rom. 8.14.15 Gal. 4.5 by and as working and fitting them for it and the meetening them to live as Children in their heavenly Fathers house and to demean themselves there as they ought to do So likewise to Seal up and confirm their Inheritance to them and bear witness to the reallity and Truth of it namely that there is such an Inheritance reserved for them and that they are appointed for and chosen to it and also to the Truth and faithfulness of God who hath promised it Rom. 8.16 Eph. 1.13.14 In their Scriptures he is called a witnesser and a Sealer Now to what doth he Seal and witness but to the hearts and faith of the adopted that there is such an Inheritance entailed on them that they shall possess and enjoy it and to thâ—â— faithfulness Truth and Alsufficiency of God who hath promised it and must do it for them Besides this there is another priviledge in you adoption which is your boldness and Intimacy with your God and Father notwithstanding the Infinite distance that there is between you and him which you have mentioned in Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent foâ—â— the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Crying Abâ—â— Father And in Rom. 8.15 but ye have received 〈◊〉 Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father That is we may now in and by your Adoption and the Spirit thereof in our hearts conveâ—â— familiarly Intimately and boldly with God through Jesus Christ We may draw near to 〈◊〉 in full Assurance of Faith as commanded Hâ— 10.22 And boldly Heb. 4. ult And that because we are adopted Children in our Father house and can come to and converse in wiâ—â— and by the Spirit of Adoption
Pardon of all your Sins for time to come Exod. 34.6 7. Isa 55.7 Jer. 31.34 hence the Lord Jesus commands and directs them Namely you that are Gods Children to Pray Our Father forgive us our Trespasses Math. 6.12 And Paul tells us from Christ that there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 and if there be indeed no condemnation then no Sin unpardoned To the same purpose Christ speaks in Joh. 5.24 He that is passed from Death to Life as all Regenerate Persons are shall not come into Condemnation Therefore encourage your selves in true holiness hereby 2. You have the Promises of Cleansing and Healing you or of Gods sanctifying and purifying your hearts Hosea 14.4 For which end and purpose among other Christ gave himself Tit. 2.14 Eph. 5.25.26 And sets open the Fountain to flow in upon us Zach. 13.1 And Ezek. 36.25.26.27 I will sprinkle clean Water on them and they shall be clean and from all their filthiness and from all their Idols will I cleanse them 3. You have promises of perseverance in Godlyness unto the end of your race until you have finished your course here you shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 And my sheep follow me and I give to them eternal Life and they shall never Perish neither shall any take them out of my hand Joh. 10.27.28.29 Moreover God tells us that for our more certain and full assurance of our safety and security he will keep us water us every moment yea and keep us Night and Day Isa 27.2.3 And engages himself that whatever enemies beset us round about and seek to devour us that he will watch us and be our defence by being a wall of Fire round about us Zach. 2.5 God hath promised that he will put his fear into their hearts and they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 and that his Children shall call him my Father and shall not turn away from him Jer. 3.19 They have underneath them the Everlasting Armes and they are held in his hand They are safe within the walls of their Fathers house and are guarded with the holy Angells Their victory over all their enemies is sure because they are ever under the Conduct of their great Captain Christ and fight under his Banner in his cause and quarrel with his Armor of proof who hath all their enemies under his feet Their Lusts the world and Devil are all in subjection unto your great King and Captain And because the Victory is sure on our side as fighting under him he is stiled the Captain of our salvation And therefore you may be sure you shall not Perish For you have all possible security from him and his Father to strengthen and encourage to fence and arme you against all your own fears weakness and temptations whatsoever Even the Gates of Hell shall not be able to prevaile against you But if you are in a state of Grace you shall most certainly run your Race win the Prize and wear the Crown of Righteousness For you have their bonds for your security who are both able faithful to perform and make them good to you and to all who shall trust and rely on them for the doing of it 4. You have promises of Peace This is one of your husbands Legacies to you Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you And in Joh. 16. ult In the world saith Christ ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace And Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh Righteousness Rom. 2.10 and as many as walk according to this Rule peace be to them Gal. 6.16 So in Phil. 4.7 And the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds This Spiritual peace is a fruit of Gods Love and the mediation of Christ of our Justification and Sincerity of heart towards God and men For he is our peace Eph. 2.14 and being Justifyed by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Those that know and have experienced the great and sore Affliction and trouble of a wounded Conscience which none can bear Pro. 18.14 and the load and weight of guilt and fear on the Soul can give a better account of the worth and Excellency of this peace of God For indeed it is so great that it passeth all understanding Phill. 4.7 5. Satisfaction You have the promisses of being satisfied with good The meaning is not so to be satisfied with what we have as not to desire and seek for more of that and other mercies no but to be satisfied with and in the will and disposements of God and the measure of our present Enjoyments untill God shall augment them Joh. 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst Isa 58.10 Jer. 31.14.25 It is a great mercy to have a satisfied and contented Spirit with Gods Allowance and at the same time to endeavour after more An unsatisfied Spirit is very sinful grievous vexatious to a mans own Soul He enjoys not what he hath that is not satisfied in the will of God â—â—ith his portion and measure God dispences â—is favours according to his sovereign wisdom Will and Grace he gives two Talents to one servant and to another five Math. 25. to declare and make known to men his soveraignty and dominion over them and that he doth in Heaven and Earth whatsoever pleaseth him That he will not dispose of his favors according to our wills but his one 6. You have promises of Assistance in your duties or of a supply of the Spirit of Grace and the Grace of the Spirit to enable you to performe them according to the will of God even to acceptation in Heaven Phill. 4.19 And my God shall supply all your wants Psal 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly as all Regenerate men may do The holy Spirit is promised to help our Infirmities and enable us to do the will of God acceptably Rom. 8.26 27. Zach. 12.10 And fear not Jacob my Servant although thou art a worm a poor weak Creature yet seeing thou art a New Creature I will help thee yea I will strengthen thee yea I will uphold thee with the Right hand of my Righteousness Isa 41.10 13 14. He giveth power to the Saint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength That they that wait on him may encrease their strength to run and not be weary Isa 40.29 31. so that whatever God calls you to and sets you upon be sure that he will fully enable you to do it how weak soever you are in and of your selves For God is strong and faithful who hath promised it 7. Joy and Consolation God hath priviledged you with promises of rejoycing your hearts and of causing