near to the end and hath a great dea to write he writes his lines close and crowds them together So now when we are coming towards an end we cannot look that God should alvvayes strive with us we should now therefore labour to write close and to make our Duties thick and to be enquiring after Grace wheresoever we come we think the time is long but we may justly fear it is shorter then we imagine as when an hour-glass is almost out a man that sits below will think there is a great deal to run but the sand is hollow and is run out before a man is aware so the Lord so carries himself towards people that they may think there is a great deal of Patience more and a great deal of Mercy more to be extended towards them but when all comes to all they shall find it lyes hollow and will be out before they are aware Secondly Consider how sickly and diseased our Souls are how apt they are to fall into sin Sickly men are most careful Now our Souls are sick of sin sick of Pride sick of Covetousnesse and Earthly-mindednesse easily carried away with the sins of the times they are sick of pronenesse to do evil and indisposednesse to that which is good therefore we had need to watch over our souls we had need be our own Porters Matth. 13. 34. our Saviour Christ doth compare every Christian to a Porter The Lord of the house takes a great journey and commands the Porter to watch We should all be Porters and keep the gates of our Souls for we are alwayes in danger Thirdly Consider that God hath awakened many of us already and therefore it is a miserable thing for us to sleep again wicked and ungodly men that were never converted and healed and awakened and wrought upon they go to Hell and damnation in a sleepy security but when a man hath been once awakened and hath shaken off sleep and God hath made him look about him to see how he might be saved if this man fall a sleep again it is a most miserable thing the latter end of that man will be worse then his beginning Fourthly Consider the badnesse of the Times and Places and Families we live in they are all secure and therefore we had need be so much the more vvatchful and you knovv it is a very hard thing for a man not to do as others do therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 6. vvould not have them sleep as others do as vvho should say Others do so and therefore you have so much the more need to look to your selves that you may not do as others do THE NEW BIRTH Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit MY Purpose is to speak of the several VVorks of Gods holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of his chosen they are Gods peculiar people and therefore he vvill vvork greater Mercies for them then for any else Novv the First grand distinguishing vvork of the Holy Ghost in the Elect is Regeneration he is the Author of Spiritual life in them they are born of him though by nature they are born of the flesh and so are flesh and in that estate can never enter into the kingdom of God yet vvhen the Spirit of God comes to regenerate them they come to be Spirit they come to have a nevv life and the Spirit of God gives it them it is true that Christ is the Author of this life he procured it by his death he quickens whom he will as he told his Disciples Joh. 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also Life is derived by Christ to all the Members of Christ for as all in Adam died Adam is the general root of all in his loins and by him they come to be dead in sin so Christ is the Second Adam and all that are in his loins all that are in him he is a quickning Spirit to them 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit Christ is the second Adam and is a quickning Spirit to all that are in him God the Father hath appointed him to be the Prince of Life as Peter tells his Hearers Act. 3. 15. The Lord Jesus Christ he is the Prince of life to all the people of God and therefore Saint John saith He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 12. He is the Father of this new Birth and he is the daily and continual Father of it He is not a Father for one or two or divers years but Isa 9. 6. he is called an everlasting Father to regenerate a people to God and he doth it by his Resurrection 1 Pet. 1. 3. This must needs be granted That Christ must be the Author of this new Life Now you will say Then why is it attributed to the Spirit The Text gives it to the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost now if Christ be the Author of this new Birth and the giver of this new Life and God the Father hath appointed him to be so Why is it then here said That the Spirit doth it I Answer It is given to the Spirit for Three Reasons First Because Christ doth it by the Spirit Whatsoever Christ doth without he doth it by the Spirit when he cast out Divels here upon Earth he did it by his Spirit all the outward VVorks that he wrought he wrought them by his Spirit and therefore the Spirit is called the Finger of God Luk. 11. 20. Now if Christ do this VVork by his Spirit if he do Regenerate all his people by his own Spirit there is reason why they should be said to be born of the Spirit Secondly Another Reason is Because though this life be all from Christ it is he that begets it it is he that is the soul of every Believer as I may so speak yet it is the Spirit that is the Bond of Vnion it is the Spirit that joyns Christ and them together it is the Spirit that tyeth the knot it is the Spirit that unites and puts them together into one though Christ be life and eternal life yet notwithstanding they are all Aliens from Christ they are all out of Christ that the Spirit doth not joyn together with Christ they that have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his they are all out of Christ they are like dead branches out of the Vine it is the Spirit that is the bond of Vnion between Christ and those that are Christs Thirdly Another Reason is Because the Spirit quickens the Word whereby this is done The people of God the thing that they are born of again it is the immortal seed of the VVord 1 Pet. 1. 23. You are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible Now this
kingdom of God it sheweth him that he is utterly forlorn in himself and past all recovery and shews him where life is to be had namely in Jesus Christ discovering his worth and excellency and necessity and that all Grace and good is in him and shews him the freedom of this gracious offer Thus the Spirit of God when he propounds the Word to the soul holds it before the eyes and conscience and sanctifies it and puts a power into it to enter deep into the soul that it may Conceive in the soul Secondly The Lord doth it by an unspeakable working There is a Divine work which the Lord worketh The spirit comes into the soul after the manner of water as Christ saith Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost c. that is unless he be born of the spirit which worketh in the spirit of a man as water doth in working upon a foul thing Now what this working is we cannot tell but we can tell you the effects of it whereas the soul was rotten and naught before and impotent to all good now it begins to have a better disposition and a new power and whereas it did savour of the things of this life before now it savours of the things that are above but this is a secret kind of working in the soul therefore it is called the washing and the laver of it And the Apostle speaking of the Corinthians what miserable creatures they were before Regeneration he named Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers c. and all manner of filthy persons Such were some of you saith he before your Regeneration but now you are washed and justified and sanctified in the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. That same washing there he means by that you are Regenerated so that Regeneration it is a supernatural an unspeakable kind of washing of the soul by the holy Ghost whereby the soul hath its Corruption washed from it in part and made clean in part and way made for all the Graces of Gods spirit to come in now and all the fruits of the spirit to be brought forth Thus the Spirit of God works this work he works it in an ineffable manner by the word of Life and by a secret kind of washing I come now to the Application of this Point And first of all If the Spirit of God be the Regenerater of Gods people then we may here see the errour of the Papists Pelagians and others That set up the Will of man and put any activity in the Reason and Judgement and Wisdom and Election of man This Doctrine of theirs is unsound and contrary to the working of Gods holy spirit If it be such a work as God sends his own Spirit to do it What man can do it It is called Regeneration and this shews it is not of man who is able to beget himself and shape himself in the womb and dispose of his own body in the belly Nay more Can any man beget himself again The very name of again shews that it is a work only of God none but he can do it and we see it plainly it is wrought no where but where God himself doth it and they that have it are able to speak it that they did not chuse God but God chose them I was found of them that sought me not all the souls of his people will subscribe That it was not in them that willed or in them that ran but in God that shewed mercy It is God only that is the Author of this thing and none but he Secondly Again This should teach us to consider that we have alwayes need of the Spirit of God If the Spirit of God hath begotten us again then we have alwayes need of him it is not in this as in the first Birth when the Child is born though the Father be gone the Child may subsist but it is not so here but the Spirit of God as he begets a man so he is fain alwayes to stand by him and bear him up and give him supplies of Grace from day to day as it is with the Air the Sun doth not only enlighten it but it doth every moment give light to it for suppose the Sun should shine four or five hours in the day yet if the Sun should with-hold its light the Air would be dark presently it is not as it is with Fire let a man heat the water though he take away the Fire the water will keep its heat a while after but do but with-hold the light of the Sun and all is gone in the same moment so it is with this new Creature and the Spirit of God he doth dwell in the soul as the Sun in the Air his presence warms the soul and quickens the soul and inables a man to good and gives a principle of life and enables to all actions that are good therefore how should all Gods people carry themselves towards this Spirit They should have a care that they quench him not nor go against him in any particular The Third Vse is for all Gods people in whom God hath wrought this blessed work the Spirit of God hath regenerated and begotten them again I say to all such persons Let them endear this Spirit of God let them not grieve or offend or displease him seeing he is such a gracious worker in them Ephes 1. 13. The Apostle makes this very Inference in whom after ye believed ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise that is whereby you were Regenerated Regeneration is the first seal of the Spirit whereby he seals Gods good will to a man Now hath the Spirit of God sealed you Then do not grieve him nor cause him to take any indignation against you for though he will never depart from them whom he hath made new Creatures yet notwithstanding he may hide his face for a time if we displease him Yea Consider Will any natural Child willingly displease his loving Father The Spirit of God is thy Father therefore we should have respect to him Again This should be a Motive to Gods people to be willing to do any thing for God because he hath made them as David saith Psal 100. 3. This very Consideration That God hath made us and re-made us he hath done that for us that all our own wits could never have done that the whole world hath not the like the Lord generally lets the whole World sink in ruine and damnation should be a Motive to you to be willing to serve him gladly and to call upon his Name to be ready prest to execute any of his Commands to enter into his presence upon all occasions seeing it is he that hath made us and not we our selves To them that are Vnregenerated Here we see where to have Regeneration it is only in God and in the Spirit of God to renew a man and make a man up again as David prayed when he
a Lawyer offer to plead this day he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case and if a minister breake this day he shall be excommunicated half a year and throwne out of the Church and shall not be received into the Church again but upon great humiliation This was the judgment of Divines in all ages and it is the observation of a reverend Divine Musculus upon Exod. 20. God doth not say Remember the Sabbath to keepe it holy he that keeps it an hour or two keeps it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy he will have a day kept holy Nay Calvin whom they take to be on their side to be a patron of their liberty he himselfe writing upon Deut. 6. upon these words Remember the Sabbath day he saith we are to keep this day speaking of himselfe and all the people of God we are to keepe this day and not a part of it but all of it The second Use is this we may hence see that sports and pastimes are not agreeable to the Lords day for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day then surely he hath forbidden sports and pastimes The reason is good first because our weekly works are things Commanded at other times now sports and pastimes are never Commanded by God but onely permitted now if things commanded and things that are good at sometimes if these notwithstanding may not be done upon the Lords day then much lesse must those be done that are permitted onely Secondly because weekely works do lesse distract a man from God then sports and pastimes I appeale to any man here present if he be not more heavenly and better employed and lesse distract from good thoughts and gracious affections when he is plowing or sowing or threshing then when he is diceing and carding sports and pastimes beat a man further off from religion and let a man go to prayer after sports and pastimes he shall find himselfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal then he shall when he comes from the works of his calling Now if those things that do lesse distract from Gods worship and service are forbidden upon the Sabbath day then surely much more those things that do more distract must needs be forbidden upon that day FINIS The Division of the Text. Obser Vse 1 Vse 2. Vse 3. The latter part of the Text opened Obser Luk. 16. Quest Answ Mat. 25. Vse 1 King 21 Acts 5. What it is to watch Literally Ordinary Extraordinary For a Civil end For a Spiritual end Spiritually It implies proneness to be drowzy Endeavour to stir up our selves It is an intentive Consideration in all Cases What we must watch Our Selves Our Thoughts Heart Words Senses Eyes Ears Whole selves Duties of Religion Before Duty In Duty Time Present time Time of Gods wrath Time of Grace Death Judgment Reasons Our proneness to be drowzy Christians life is a Warfare The world an enemy The Divel The certain advantage of watchfulness We cannot else expect help or pardon Object Answ Gods appointment None can Watch for us Object Answ Vse Condemning the general neglect of Watchfulnesse Reproving the godly's too great neglect Directing how to watch Account watchfulness our life Watching in al things Proportioning it to what we are about Avoiding hinderances Vain company Spiritual drunkennesse Setting God before our eyes Vse Exhorting to watchfulnesse Motives Because otherwise it will be ill with us at last Because our souls are sickly We are already awakened Badness of the times and carelessness of the most Regeneration attributed to the spirit Because Christ doth it by the spirit Spirit is the bond of union between us and Christ Becaus the spirit quickens the word wherby we are born again That the spirit of God doth regenerate all the Saints What Regeneration is A Renewing A Renewing of the whole man By degrees perfected According to Gods Image In Jesus Christ Why called Regeneration To shew the great Corruption of Nature The work well expressed by the Name Father both in Natural and Spiritual Generation A Mother in both First Conceâ—tion and thâ—â— Birth â—ain accompaâ—ies both Births Both come to a Being they had â—ot New Kindred follows both Wherein Regeneration consisteth Passive receiving Christ â—n active poâ—â—r to become child of God Reasons why the Spirit worketh Regeneration It is the good pleasure of God No other agent can do it Man is totally against it of himself How the Spirit worketh Regeneration By the Word of Life By a secret and supernatural power Vse 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians c. Information Of our continual need of the Spirit Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit 2. To do any thing for God 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit Of Examination whether regenerated or no. First Signe When doing good is natural The heart 's a good soil for Grace He cannot live in Sin It is pleasant to do the will of God Grace gets the upper hand He loves the people of God He loves Spiritually to profit others VVhat this Body is The invisible Church of God Gathered out of all Nations Predestinated unto life Begotten again by the VVord VVhat putting into this Body is A part of our ingrafting into Christ VVrought by Faith Making us have common life with other Members It makes of one consent with all the people of God For mutual care and help That this is the Spirits work Reasons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Christ None but the Spirit is able None but the Spirit is fit to do it How the Spirit doth Unite to Christ's Body By being one and the same spirit in all Members By tying a knot between all the Members Vses The want of the Spirit is the cause of difference Let none put asunder what the Spirit joyns To try our acquaintance hereby To stir up a sympathy amongst the Saints How to work maintain and express this sympathy By informing our selves concerning one another By visiting our fellow-Members By laying to heart their afflictions Proposit 1. A set time for worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Propos 2. Some set time for worship every day Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Propos 3. Every day in some sort a Sabbath Reas 1. Luk. 1. 74 75. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Propos 4. A particular â—pecial day for Gods worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Propos 5. One day of Seven to be set apart for Gods worship Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Reas 5. Propos 6. That day of the seven to be kept holy on which God rested Propos 7. All that is in the Fourth Commandment is not essential to it Quest Answ 1. Propos 8. The fourth Commandmen continual alwayes to abide in the Church Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. â—eas 4. Reas 5. Reas 6. Gal. 5. 2 Exod. 35. 3 Reas 7. Propos 9. The first day of he week was the Lords day and so to continue to the end 〈◊〉 the world Reas 1. ver 22. 23 Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Reas 5. Reas 6. Reas 7. Reas 8. Vse 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 2
thought we cannot renew our thoughts we cannot renew our inclinations or our wills or our affections we can do nothing of our selves it is only his work therefore seeing it is such a special work it must be only the Spirit of God that must work it it is a glorious work a supernatural work this new Birth is such a Birth as comes from above Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power c. saith the text that is all that are born of God they are brought forth in the day of Gods power in the day wherein God is pleased to put forth his power in them therefore they are called the seed of Christ Isa 53. 10. They are his seed but unless he begets them by his Spirit they can never be so Therefore if we consider the greatness of the work it sheweth plainly it must needs be the effect of the Will of God and his good Pleasure towards man and therefore must be wrought by the Spirit Secondly Another Reason is Because it is not a work of this world It is a work of another world it is none of the creatures of this life it is beyond the sphere of the activity of any natural agent they cannot reach it Joh. 1. 13. Which were born not of the will of the flesh nor of bloud c. It is not of mans Will he cannot so much as Will it or Desire it effectually he cannot wish it truly nay his heart had rather have the world nay saith he It is not of the Will of the Flesh that is a man may go and beget another Child in the world because it is of the Will of the Flesh it is in the power of the Will of the Flesh Gods power going along with him but this is not so whatsoever a man be though he hath never so many excellent parts it is not in the Will of the Flesh to do it Then again it is not of Bloud it is no terrene or earthly thing this new creature is otherwise made than any new creature in the world besides therefore he concludes it is only born of God it is God only that is the great Author of this great work it descends down meerly from above Thirdly Because it is so far from being wrought by any power in man or any counsel in man or any endeavours in man it is so far from that as that a man is totally against it A man is an enemy unto it a man hath reluctancy and repugnancy against it he would not be regenerate when a man doth think he desires heaven and to be regenerated of God he doth apprehend Regeneration in a wrong way and heaven in a wrong way so as he apprehends it he doth Will it he thinks of heaven as of a fine place and a place full of pleasure and therefore desires it but that he should alwayes be with God that he should alwayes be praysing and thinking of God and minding of God and have his heart weaned from all other things and set it on God this is heaven but he hates these things and so hates heaven so he Wills that which he apprehends to be Regeneration but Regeneration is when a man hath a new heart and when he is a new man he was wordly before but he is now brought to be spiritual he was proud before but he is now come to be humble but the heart cannot abide this therefore let the Lord fling in abundance of throws into a natural mans heart to begin some preparatory work this way to make a man begin to look out towards heaven he flings all away he is weary of them quickly as a man at a Sermon perhaps may have throws concerning the new Birth but the corruption of his heart will throw all way he cannot endure them they are contrary to the corruption of a mans nature nay when God comes to work upon his own people what a deal of pleading is there with the world the flesh and the Divel that they may not be cast out Therefore when Peter saw that through the grace and power of God this work was wrought in those he wrote unto 1 Pet. 1. 3. Mark how he speaks Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead He lifts up his hands to heaven and blesseth God that ever this work was wrought he saw so much adoe and such a stir and such a deal of opposition this is a plain sign that it is not of man it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Neither can man Will neither can he run neither go nor stir towards it nay though God make him go how apt is he to laggar in the way and draw back again So you see the Fourth Thing Why it must needs be the Spirits Work The Fifth Thing is How the Spirit of God works this Work It is after an unspeakable manner Who can declare the noble acts of the Lord The works of God in Nature are marvellous David himself when he looked upon his natural Birth the Conception of him in the Womb of his Mother he wondered at it Psal 139. 14. That was a wonderful work how much more is this unspeakable and unutterable as it is said of our Saviour Christ Who can declare his generations So may I say in a lower sense of this Work Who can declare this Regeneration of his people But yet thus far the Scripture doth authorize and warrant us to go First That he doth it by the word of Life By the Gospel of Salvation by the Preaching of it or otherwise according as he pleaseth that is the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God c. And as Paul saith to the Corinthians Though you have ten thousand instructers yet you have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. As who should say You are begotten and born again and you are born again by the Word and I was an instrument under God of your new Birth by the Word which I have Preached among you and therefore 1 Tim. 1. 2. he calls Timothy His own Son So Tit. 1. 4. he calls him His Son in the Faith that is he was an instrumental Father under God by the Doctrine of Faith to bring him to be a Child of God so that I say it is done by the Word Of his own Will hath he begotten us by the Word of truth Jam. 1. 18. The Spirit of the Lord sanctifies the Word when he is pleased to convert a man the Word shall shew him what a miserable creature he is by nature it sheweth him that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the
secure as Job 12. 6. those that provoke God are secure the reason is the Law of God hath not taken down their hearts the Law of God hath not deaded their spirits they are alive in presumption and imagination and therefore though they provoke God they are secure and fear nothing It is the disquietnesse of a mans heart that makes him fear therefore so long as a mans mind is quiet and is not disturbed he is fearlesse So long as the Law hath not disquieted a mans mind nor broken the rest of a mans Soul nor disturbed his conscience but tells him go on in quiet he spends his dayes in security he fears nothing whereas fearfulness and trembling and horrible dread would overwhelm him if the Law of God should come and take away his life it is fear that deads a mans heart as we may see Matth. 28. 4. when the Angel of the Lord roled away the stone from Christs Sepulchre it is said For fear of the Angel the Keepers trembled and became as dead men There is the effect of fear if the law did but open mens eyes and paint out before them how it is with them how they are liable to Gods wrath and under the sentence of condemnation if they were once thus feared it would make them seem as dead men the drunkards would be so afraid that they would become as dead men All wretched men all ungrounded Christians all that are not truly alive towards God it would make them become as dead men and it is the deadnesse of the heart that makes men fear and such a man cannot be secure Carelesnesse and fear are two contraries as Ezek. 30. 9. In that day shall Messengers go forth from me in Ships to make the carelesse Ethiopian afraid and great pain shall come upon them The Prophet there makes these two contraries they shall be full of fear to rouze them out of security so the cause why men are carlesse to get repentance carelesse to get deliverance from sin carlesse of their walking with God the reason is because of this damnable livelinesse that is in their hearts they are not yet deaded by the law 3. Thirdly Another effect of this livelinesse is this it makes the heart stiffe what a deal of stiffnesse is in the hearts of carnal men let God forbid sin they are stiffe and will still continue in their sins as the Prophet speaks the hearts of this people is waxed stiffe their hearts are marvellous stiffe the reason of it is because the law of God hath not taken away their livelinesse it hath nor humbled their hearts and pull'd down their spirits whereas if the law had past upon them and the consideration of their estate were rooted in their minds it would make their stoutness to yield and their stiffenesse to come down infinite is the stiffnesse of a man for want of this work of the law tell a vain gallant of his locks how stiffly will he reason for it Tell a prophane person of the lewdnesse of his course how stiffly will he argue for it This is for want of this killing work of the law 4. Fourthly The last effect of this livelinesse is this it makes the heart peark and brisk what a deal of brisknesse and pearknesse do we see every day in the hearts of men because their hearts are not taken down I will give you two or three Instances If a man have a little knowledge more then others he is proud and brisk and peark and he will be some-body he will be talking and thinks he hath such a deal of knowledge what is the reason of this that he is so peark It is because the law hath not made it known unto him that he knows nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. there saith the Apostle If a man thinks he knows any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know If the law of God did shew him he were a beast and a bruit for all his understanding if it did discover unto him his blockishnesse and blindnesse and ignorance that he knows nothing of the mysteries of Grace and Salvation this would pull down his pearknesse take another man that hath more knowledge and can speak better a thousand times if the law hath shewed him his estate and truly humbled him all his brisknesse is taken away the law hath taught him such a lesson that he cannot be peark Oh! saith he I know nothing there is no man more foolish then I I have not the knowledge of the most high in me though he have never so much knowledge and gifts and parts yet the law hath discovered his estate unto him and pulled down the pearknesse of his spirit Again another man is ready to carp at every word every little occasion will make him on the top of the house his heart is so brisk that it is up upon every little occasion but when the law comes home unto him this will pull down all his pearknesse alas he angry at a word speaking The law hath told him how he hath offended God and provoked his Spirit from time to time he is now cooled from being so peark to be angry at every word So take a man that is full of pleasure and voluptuousnesse and is ready to be vain and foolish every pleasure puts life into him but now let the law come and be charged upon his conscience and then all his pearknesse is presently down he is not able to look up he seeth so many sins discovered by the law that he is not able to look up Jam. 5. 1. Go to now ye rich men saith the Apostle weep and howle for the misery that shall come upon you If the law were charged upon rich men it would make them weep and howle rich men are fullest of pleasure and delight and farthest from weeping and howling but if the law were charged upon their consciences it would make them weep and howle and have little heart to be so pleasant I come now to the Uses and the First Vse is for Instruction to shew us the reason why there are so many men and women among us that think themselves alive that are so secure and fearlesse and carelesse that have their hearts so sound and their spirits so unbroaken the reason is because the law hath not yet come home and killed their hearts 2 Cor. 3. 6. The very letter of the law is able to kill as many of us as are in this estate and condition therefore the cause of this livelinesse and security is because we are strangers from the law of God our eyes were never open to behold it the law of God never came home unto our hearts The Second Vse is this When we find our hearts to be brisk and peark let us pray unto God that he would be pleased to charge his law upon our Consciences Let us buy precious eye-salve that we may be able to look into the law of God
this will make our hearts that they will not be so wanton and our spirits that they will not be so brisk though they would never so fain mind earthly things they cannot If the Lord would be pleased but to charge his law upon the heart it would make the stoutest spirit to yield Thirdly This takes away the imputation that is laid upon the Word of God many think hardly of the Word of God it takes away the spirits of men the preaching of the Law it pulls down the spirits of men and breaks mens hearts it makes men have no spirits as they said of Jeremy thou makest the knees feeble so the law infeebles the knees and takes away the spirits of a man why here we see that the law of God will do so it is the property of the law to do so wheresoever it comes it kills the heart and pulls down all the pearknesse of it The law it will ever break a mans bones as David speakes Let me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51. The Lord had broken his very back bone by the law and now he could not rejoyce Isai 57. 15. I the Lord dwell with him that is of an humble contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble when the law of God hath broken a mans heart and made him contrite he is a dead man till the Lord comes to revive him and raise up his spirit I come now to the Second part of the Text When the Commandment came sin revived and I died Here also as in the former part are two things to be expounded First What doth the Apostle here mean by reviving When the Commandment came sin revived Secondly What doth he mean by dying I died When the Law and Commandment came and discovered me to my self and shewed me what a damnable thing sin was and what a wretched dead creature I was for committing the same and how I lay under the guilt thereof sinne revived and I died Therefore what doth the Apostle mean by sin revived I Answer The Apostle doth not mean here as if sin were indeed dead in him before the commandment came for sin is alive in every carnal mans heart before the commandment comes and therefore he cannot mean thus when the commandment came sin revived as if it were truly and really dead before for his sins were not dead in him when he was Pharisee his sins were not mortified when he was in his unregenerated estate and condition sin was not dead in him that cannot be the meaning as if sin were dead before and now revived But he speaks of the Appearance of the death of sin though it were not dead before yet it did appear to be dead as a Snake in cold weather though it be alive yet it appears to be dead the life of it is in a swound though it hath life yet the cold benums it and keeps it from appearing So before the commandment came sin was in Paul but it seemed to have no life but when the commandment came and discovered plainly what a dead creature he was then the life of sin came indeed to be manifested Now the Law of God doth manifest the life of sin Three wayes it manifests three lifes of sin There are three lifes of sin that appear to the soul when the law comes 1. First There is the life of Aggravation the Law of God doth aggravate and point out sinne to the full life of it it makes sinne appear in the true nature of it the true nature of every thing is the life of the thing the nature of a man is the life of a man Now the law did shew him the nature of his sins it painted them out to the very life in their lively colours this made him see how his sins were aggravated what a cursed and damned thing sin was and what a person it was committed against this made sin appear unto him in the very life of it therefore in the 13. vers of this Chapter the Apostle saith Sin that it might appear si◠wrought death in me that sin might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 measure sinful by the commandment that is when the commandment comes and is manifested to the soul it makes the life of sin appear the life of sin is then manifested the Law of God like a glasse doth shew the life of the Commandment and the very nature of all sinning and transgressing Now before the Law came thus home unto him he could not thus see sin he could say he was a sinner and had committed these and these sins But what these sins were and the exceeding sinfulnesse of these sins he did not see that He had a dead kind of picture of his sins before but the life thereof was not manifested but the Law of God did make his sin revive and made him see his sinnes in the life of them 2. Secondly There is the life of irritation as I may so call it or of itching and egging a man This is another life of sin whereby it is full of operation and working in the Soul the operation of a thing is the life of a thing Now before the Commandment came sin seemed dead it wrought indeed many evils in him but he did not think his heart had been so full of life and so full of activity against Gods Law and commandments Sin seemed to lye dead before but now when the Commandment came and set upon his heart and began to charge him with better obedience now his heart grew itching and marvellous full of life unto lust Hereupon sin egged him the more on to lust It is like water when a man goes about to stop it it runs the more violently So it is with sin in the heart the more the Law of God goes about to stop it and hinder it the more eager it is and the more full of life and working as the Apostle speaks ver 8. without the Law sin was dead there was no such working of sin in my mortal body then but when the Commandment came when the Law was charged upon my heart then sin took occasion hereby to be the more violent and work in me all manner of Concupiscence before I committed sin without any check I had vain thoughts and foolish courses and many a lust in my soul and I went to it as if it had been a good thing not as if it had been evil But when the Law of God came to shew me the slacknesse of my obedience and to controle me and convince me and to stop the course of sin it wrought all manner of Concupiscence in me it wrought before in Paul for it wrought all his security and all his hardnesse of heart and all his vain thoughts and imaginations but this was but a dead kind of working in comparison of that which it wrought after the Commandment came There are none that have such active Rebellions against the
seed is sowen in all mens hearts scattered among all the Congregation but yet it doth not Regenerate all the Congregation the Reason is where the Spirit comes that makes it fruitful and that makes it to quicken the heart and thus you see the meaning of the words That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Now here are Two Points First That the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost Regenerates all the people of God whosoever is born again is born of the Spirit The Second Point is this That all that are Regenerate all that are born of the Spirit they are Spirit that is they are spiritual they are like the Spirit The First is That it is the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost that doth Regenerate all the people of God this is that which makes them to be new Creatures to be new men to be altogether different from that they were before this is that which doth distinguish them from themselves even as much as white from black this is that which doth alienate them from the courses of the world this is that which doth make them to be singular and odde fellows as if they were of another mould this makes them lead a different kind of life and follow a different kind of way from all their neighbors because the Spirit of God works in them as Ishmael and Isaac though Ishmael was born after the flesh yet Isaac was born after the Spirit as the Apostle alludes Gal. 4. 23. that is one took one kind of course the other another one was born one way the other another way the Spirit begat one the Flesh the other and this made Ishmael to persecute Isaac because Isaac could not abide his courses they were of different Natures and Dispositions one was born after the Spirit the other after the Flesh Now here be Six Things I would shew unto you First What Regeneration is Secondly Why it is so called Thirdly Wherein it consists Fourthly The Reasons why the Spirit of God only works this work Fifthly How he works it And Lastly The Vses First What Regeneration is And it is thus much namely The renewing of the whole man and by degrees completed after the Image of God in Jesus Christ This is Regeneration and there be Five Things to be opened in it First That it is the renewing of a man It is not every change there may be abundance of changes and alterations and yet a man for the main may be the same man he is a man may be changed from a Drunkard to be sober from an Adulterer to be chaste yet still he is the same man he was before though there be changes wrought in him but Regeneration is the renewing of a man the making of a man another man as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are passed away and all things are become new The Lord doth take away the old frame and the old affections and the old inclinations the old acquaintance the old course and conversation all these things passe away and the Lord puts in new things in the room thereof till all things become new thus it is in this work as the Apostle speaks Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost the Lord removeth the old rubbish and puts a new fabrick in the room as a Goldsmith he takes a vessel of dishonour and melts it and makes it a vessel of honour God doth undo the old workmanship and makes a new as David saith Create in me O Lord a clean heart c. Psal 51. 10. David thought he had lost all therefore he prayeth to God that he may be new cast that he may be taken all to pieces as a VVatch-maker takes a VVatch that is out of order he takes it all to pieces and sets it together anew again so he prayes God to deal with him he had lost all in sense and feeling and would have God make him a new workmanship it is called the renewing of a man Ezek 11. 19. there is an excellent place I will give them a new heart c. The Lord puts out and he puts in even just as a Suister doth when she works cut-works she puts out the cloths own threds and puts in needle-work so the Lord puts out the old heart and puts in a new heart he takes out that which was stark naught and puts in that which is good and agreeable to his mind the old heart is corrupt and the old man is stark naught there is nothing good in it these the Lord takes out and puts in all new A man is altogether naught and reprobate before what poor creatures are all people that are not Regenerate they are all proud and vain and foolish and wordly and earthly and harden their hearts and are carelesse of Gods wayes they have no fear of God before their eyes they are altogether rotten how ill-favouredly do they pray how worldly do they go on in their callings how unfruitfully do they come to Church they are all rotten and refractory they do nothing that right is now when the Spirit of God doth make them up he puts out all old things and makes them new This is the First thing Regeneration is the renewing of a man Secondly As it is the renewing of a man so it is the renewing of the whole man It is not only in some things for Saul was another man in some sense but Regeneration is the renewing of the whole man as the Appostle saith The God of peace sanctifie you throughout in body soul and Spirit 1 Thess 5. 23. it is a work upon the whole man our Saviour Christ compares it to leaven which a woman took and leavened the whole Lump It is like unto Original sin as Original sin infects the whole man so Regeneration doth repair and renew the whole man it is as general and universal as original sin the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse Ephes 5. 9. It is in all goodnesse in the goodnesse of a mans mind and in the goodnesse of a mans affections in the goodnesse of the inclination and disposition in the goodnesse of the whole man the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness indeed it begins in the goodnesse of the mind as the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your minds Where he calls upon them for this new work Put off the old man saith he and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds that is the First thing when a man hath a new mind given unto him a new knowledge put into his understanding a man is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. This is the first thing when God reneweth a mans knowledge and apprehension of things when a man begins to know the plagues of his own heart and the evils of all his own wayes now a man begins to see through these things and now he begins
had the Spirit Lord take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. So when a man hath not the Spirit of God he should pray to God Lord Give thy holy Spirit to me and send down thy holy Spirit into my heart that may work this work in me But it may be many of you will think that you expect this and desire it and wish it and use some means I Answer Then shew it by thy coming unto God for it from day to day will any man say That Noah did expect that God should deliver him from the Deluge if he had not took that course which God appointed If he had not built an Ark certainly we may justly say That he did not look that God would deliver him Therefore it is said of Noah That as he did expect that God should keep him so being warned of God he built an Ark c. Heb. 11. 7. So when a man shall say That he looks that God should deliver him from his natural estate and condition that God should renew him by his Grace and goodness yet if a man will not prepare an Ark if when a man is Commanded and directed by God what to do yet he will not come to God to do that which should be done for him these men do but deceive their own souls and treasure up indignation against themselves I remember the story of Moses Exod. 14. when the Children of Israel were in Pi-hahiroth and the Egyptians were behind them and the Mountains were on the side that they could not pass and the Sea was before them and there was notable crying out Oh! that God would deliver them now they were dead men the Egyptians were come out to destroy them the Mountains were on the side and the Sea before them Now mark what an Answer God gives to their cry cause the people to go forward you keep a crying to me I pray go forward you are not yet at the red sea but go to the red sea and when you are there then cry to me you are idleing and lazing and mistrusting me though the red Sea be before them yet cause them to come thither and when they are there then cry for help to me So thou sayest thou desirest that God would Regenerate thee and quicken thee and turn thy heart vouchsafe thee his holy Spirit do you so I say it is very well the thing is very good but if the desire be sincere you will take that course God bids you art thou come to the utmost difficulty Are not many things to be done which thou refusest to do Must thou not seek God more and more carefully Go forward go forward if thou meanest to have help and aid from God otherwise it is in vain if thou wouldst go on in the wayes of God and do what God Commands thee thou shouldst be quickened and renewed Fourthly Another Vse is for Examination To examine our selves whether the Word of God hath wrought this for us yea or no. And the first sign is this If thou beest born again if thou hast this new Nature then it is natural to thee to do good duties to follow good courses and to yield obedience to the commandements of God it is not enough for a man to do good duties a natural man an unregenerate man may do them but whether is it natural to thee A proud man may do the actions of humility a proud man may pull off his Hat and give the time of the day and speak meanly of himself a proud man may suffer another to do him wrong and put up base language he may do these things but the man is a proud man still he hath no humble nature but the question is whether it be thy nature to do this May be thou dost these things for fear or some by-respects A worldly man may speak of heavenly things but is thy nature heavenly A man may think of God but is thy nature godly Here is the thing If a man be regenerate there is Grace got into a mans nature Jer. 31. 33. when God regenerates his people he saith He will write his laws in their inward parts he doth not only say they shall do these duties but their very hearts shall carry them their very hearts shall go to a Sermon their very souls shall go about the duties of God as it is with the fire water may heat but not by nature but it is the nature of fire to heat So if a man be Regenerate it is natural to him to do good duties Rom. 2. 14. A man by nature may do the things commanded in the Law but here is the question Whether he doth them with this new nature this heavenly nature The old creature may hear and pray and be sober and moral for by nature the Heathen did the things contained in the Law But if a man be Regenerated as he doth the things contained in the Law and Gospel so he doth them with a new nature as Deut. 5. 29. when the Children of Israel had spoken admirable speeches All that the Lord saith to us we will do they made goodly professions now mark what God saith Oh that there were an heart in this people to keep my commandments As who should say These are very good words and I know that you think what you speak but Oh that this were written in your hearts that this were natural to you this will not hold your hearts are not carried this way Secondly If the Spirit of God hath Regenerated a man then the heart begins to be a good soyl for Grace and the heart begins to be sutable so that the heart is fit for Grace A natural heart is not a proper soyl for Grace As if a man should bring a Plant from Spain and set it here in England it cannot thrive unlesse a man meet with a soyl that is fit for it So Grace if it come into the heart and the heart is not a soyl for it it can never thrive there unlesse the heart be Regenerated and unlesse there be a new nature there may be admirable things in a natural man excellent good purposes and resolutions God may come to him as a Passenger that lodgeth for a night but he is gone the next morning he may come as a sojourner to endure for a while but here is no dwelling for him these resolutions and purposes and desires cannot last long that heart will squander them away it is like the putting of a new piece into an old garment Matth. 9. 16. When a man puts a new piece into an old garment a fine new purpose into an old heart a new good desire into an old mind the rent will be worse for that man will return back again and will have his lusts and will be worse then he was before for the heart is not able to hold these 't is true in the best hearts of Gods people is a great deal of unnatural soyl
for Grace but there is some of this good new soyl that Grace now can hold and shall hold so that the gates of Hell shall not prevail it is not for any goodnesse of the heart but for the goodnesse of Grace in the heart there may be transient acts of goodnesse in a wicked man as Prayer and such-like transient acts but when the transient act is done there is a conclusion but nature is permanent and an enduring thing it is not only to come to Prayer and then be dead to come to a Sermon and then be dead but it is a permanent thing a man is godly between Prayer and Prayer and religious between Sermon and Sermon and in all his wayes he sets himself to be good and well disposed all his dayes God complains against those that give him transient acts of goodnesse Oh Ephraim what shall I do to thee that art as a morning cloud c Thirdly If the Spirit of God hath made a man a new nature then he cannot live in sin as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God sinneth not c. he is born of God and it is against his nature to go on in sin a man cannot go against his nature 't is true a man for a little time may go against his nature as Moses though his nature was mild and meek yet he was transported very much Hear ye rebels and shall I bring water out of this rock he was carried away in his passion but he could not hold on in that strain for it was against his nature so if a man be overcome with any other sin yet when a man is renewed as a Spring clears it self of the mud so this new nature is so opposite and contrary to sin that he cannot go on in sin Fourthly If the Spirit of God hath wrought this work in thee then it is pleasant to thee to do the will of God Look what a man is naturally inclined to it is marvellous pleasant to him to follow it As for example If a mans nature be gluttonous how pleasing is it for him to satisfie his Appetite And if a mans nature be given to Intemperance how pleasing is Excess unto him And if a mans nature be proud how pleasing is it to be flattered and spoken fair to be reverenced and respected at every word A man loves these things a-life because they suit with his nature So if a man have a new nature and partakes of the divine nature how pleasing will Prayer be And how pleasing will the Word be how pleasing will Counsels and Exhortations be how pleasing to be corrected and reproved for sin How sweet are thy words unto my mouth saith the Prophet David Psal 119. 103. As our Saviour saith Joh. 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do his Will that sent me So I have longed for thy Commandments saith David I have loved to know wherein I might glorifie thee and be serviceable to thee Now when it is irksom for a man to obey he cannot abide strictness and preciseness and he counts it a disgrace to him to deny himself in such a thing and he goeth to duty like a Bear to the Stake and he hath no forwardnesse it is a sign he hath no new nature Fifthly If a man be born again Grace will get the upper hand when a man meets with lusts and concupiscence of Soul though they may exceedingly bear a man down for a time and transport a man beyond himself yet in the end Grace will have the victory and prevail 1 Joh. 5. 4. He that is born of God overcomes the world all temptations of the world all pul-backs and draw-backs he that is born of God he will have the mystery so 1 Joh. 5. 18. the Apostle saith The wicked one cannot touch a man that is born of God that is with a deadly touch as he toucheth wicked men he toucheth wicked men so as he infects them and poysons them and carries them away Sixthly He that is born of God he is one that loves the Children of God If there be any Saint in the parish any Child of God there is his affection and bowels most I speak of spiritual affections for otherwise Grace doth not take away nature but set it up having refin'd it But I speak of spiritual love if a man be born of God himself he loves all others that are born of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten If a man loves God that begets he must needs love them that are begotten of God Lastly If a man be born again then a man labours to do good and to spread the Knowledge of Jesus Christ to the glory of God He loves to be communicating that he hath he that hath this Spirit loves to be breathing upon others and would fain seatter his sweet things up and down where he goeth and would fain leave a sweet savour of himself wheresoever he comes this is the nature of him that is born again and regenerate to beget others That man is unworthy to be born by whom another is not born as we say when a man is born again he labours to beget others to God to be generative and fruitful and abundant in doing good up and down he labours to beget his Children and Family to God and to draw his neighbours and acquaintance unto God he would fain have people know Christ and obey him and submit unto him Thus you see the signs whereby we may know Whether we be born again or no CHRISTIANS Ingrafting into CHRIST 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Grecians whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit WEE have spoken of Regeneration which is a work of the Spirit and the first implanting of a man into Christ Now we come to speak of a new work of the Spirit The implanting of a man into the Church the Body of Christ when the Spirit makes a man to be a Member of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and this is done all under one for being once ingrafted in Christ we come to be fellow-Members with all those that are Christs and this we have here in the Text By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body c. The Apostles meaning is this All we that are the people of God we are all one Body and the efficient cause of this is the Spirit of God it is by the Spirit that we are made thus and the instrumental cause though it be not here expressed yet it is implyed and that is Faith and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments First The Sacrament of Baptisme we are baptized into the same Body Secondly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper intimated in
saith Gal. 3 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 'T is true you are different among your selves one is a master another a servant one is a rich man another a poor man so there is a difference but they are all one in Christ Jesus they have all one and the self-same Faith they have all one and the self-same Father there is but one Lord and one Spirit to quicken and unite them all Thus we see what this Body of Christ is Now in the Second place What it is to be put into this Body to be implanted into it to be knit into this Body I Answer in a few words it is this It is a part of a mans Ingrafting into Christ by Faith whereby a man is ingrafted into the Body of Christ having one common life with all the rest of the Members for mutual consent and profit and care and help and sympathy or fellow-feeling First It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ For the ingrafting of a man into Christ and into the body of Christ are not Two things but God doth them by one and the self-same act as you may see Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ and every one Members one of another that is by being Members of Christ and by being ingrafted into Christ we come to have fellowship and conjunction and joyning one with another it must needs be the same work for the putting a man into Christ in whom are the other Members that very act makes a man to have fellowship with Christ together with all the other Members as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11. 17. Though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast grafted in for them and made partaker of the root When a man is ingrafted into this Olive tree he is ingrafted with the rest of Christs Members and he doth partake together with the other Members of the same root and of the same Gifts and Graces God doth both under one Therefore though I handle this after the other it is because I cannot handle them both at once Saint John saith 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another So that if a man be in Christ he hath communion with the Body of Christ if he hath fellowship with Christ he hath fellowship with the Body of Christ so that you see the Spirit doth both by one and the self-same act as the Apostle saith Ephes 2. 12. Ye were at that time without Christ and aliants from the common-wealth of Israel It is all one thing to say that a man is out of Christ and an aliant from the common-wealth of Israel without that corporation without that Body he is no Member of that Body therefore it follows on the other side If a man be in Christ and ingrafted into Christ then he is of this society he is of the common-wealth of the Israel of God So that this is the First Thing It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ Secondly This likewise is done by Faith When a man is ingrafted into Christ he is ingrafted into him by Faith As the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 23. And they also if they abide not in unbelief shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them As who should say If ever they have Faith they are ingrafted into Christ it is Faith that ingrafts a man into Christ and the same Faith that makes a man to be of the Body of Christ that puts a man into the number of the Members of Christ as Paul saith To Titus my Son in the common Faith Tit. 1. 4. that is it is such a Faith as doth not only ingraft this man into Christ but the very self-same Faith another man having it it doth ingraft him into the Body of Christ too So that it is a common Faith whereby one is ingrafted into the Body of Christ as well as another as Act. 2. 44. They were all of one minde and one heart they all hung together as one body they imparted their gifts and the things they had even to their very Lands and Goods one to another here was a sweet communion but then what was the reason of this What was the Instrument that wrought this It was Faith for the text saith they were believers or else they could not have done it And therefore as we are said to come to Christ so to the Body of Christ as Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come to Mount Zion to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first born which are written in heaven You are come he speaks of a spiritual coming by Faith So that this putting into the Body of Christ is by Faith Then in the Third place It makes a man have a common life with all the rest of the Members of Jesus Christ As you may see Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appear ye also shall appear with him in glory Christ who is our life We that are the people of God Christ is our life we have one and the self-same life all one and the self-same minde in the wayes of God As it is said Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul all the people of God in the whole world would quickly be acquainted if they were brought together for they are all of one and the self-same disposition and mind As our Saviour speaks to his Father Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou art in me and I in thee so that all they may be one in us As the Three Persons in the blessed Trinity are three distinct Persons and yet are all one so in some sense the Members of the Body of Christ though they be of several callings and conditions in the world yet they are all one that they may be all one as we are one vers 21. They all live by the same rule and walk by the same rule they are all guided by the same Word and swayed by the same Commandment they all walk in one Way they all Pray by one and the self-same Spirit they have a life that is common look as one lives so lives another look as one repents so another repents look as one believes so another believes and look as one apprehends of God and comes before him with affection and fear and trembling so doth another though they never saw one another yet they all meet in the same life for they have the same root of life the same cause of life In the Fourth place It makes a man to be of one consent with all the people of God every where As you may see Zeph. 3. 9.