to live always in a dependency on their Creator For although God made Man a perfect Creature filled him with his Grace and adorned him with his Image yet he was but a Creature and he was always to live and have his dependency on God for his subsistance and not to stand and continue in that state from and by himself but to depend wholly on him that made him This he was bound to do not only in point of prudence for his own security and peace but in point of duty as that which he was indispensably bound unto by the Law of his Creation His neglect of his duty in this occasioned his Dreadful Fall which ruined him I mean Adam and all his Posterity The same end doth God Regenerate men for namely that they may believe in Jesus Christ and in God the Father by him Joh. 14.1 1 Pet. 1.21 that they may trust commit themselves to him and live in a constant dependence on him Isa 26.4 Psal 37.3.5 Therefore doth he infuse his Faith into them when he Regenerates them Col. 1.12 and writes this Law in their hearts that they may obey it Jer. 31.33 Heb. 10.16 3 They were at first Created to love God with all their hearts and chiefest strongest and warmest love that they might esteem and love him as their highest and chiefest good and singular Object of all their affections This Law of our Creation we have exprest in Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind So likewise this is Gods End in his second Creation or Regeneration and therefore doth he circumcise their hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 writes this Law in their hearts and sheds it abroad into them in Regeneration Rom. 5.5 that they may love him aright and that with his own love without which they cannot do it 4 The Lord Created Man to fear him to reverence and stand in awe of him as their great Soveraign Lord and King This Law was created with them and written in their hearts until sin had defaced and blotted it out This Law is also written in the Bible that men may remember what was written in their hearts in their Creation and know their duty and one of the ends for which they were Created how they have lost it and to provoke them to endeavour the recovery of it How often have we this Law exprest in Scripture Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God thou shalt stand in awe and sin not Deut. 6.13.24 Deut. 10.12.20 Psal 2.11 Psal 4.4 1 Pet. 2.17 It is a holy fear not a perplexing and heart-disquieting fear that is commanded it is a fear that is not an Adversary to Faith and Love as the forbidden fear is but it is useful for us and helpful to all other Graces Now in Regeneration God puts this fear into our hearts Jer. 32.39 40. that we may serve the Lord with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 that we may not sin or depart from God Jer. 32. I will put my fear into their hearts and they shall not depart from me But I must hasten 5 God Created Man to obey him and yield him free loving and chearful subjection and obedience He formed them for his Subjects and Children that they should subject themselves unto his Laws and Authority and yield or give to him the obedience of Subjects to their Soveraign and of Children to their Creator and Begetter and accordingly they were Created with the Principle and Power of obedience and to this Created Principle God presently added a positive Law to try and exercise their obedience unto God Gen. 2.16 17. But of the Tree of Knowledge thou shalt not eat of it nor touch it The Image of God in which Adam and we in him were Created was such as fully enabled him and us had we kept it to have yielded all heart and practical obedience unto his whole will he wanted nothing to help him but he had all Grace in perfection to obey and conform to the whole Will of God at all times But Sin rooted the Principle and Power of Heart-obedience quite out of us so that men have now neither will nor power to obey the Will of God until they are regenerated by Grace But that God might not loose this End altogether for which he created Man he is pleased of his meer Grace to Regenerate and renew some of Mankind and thereby frame and mould them to such obedience as he at first intended them for for men cannot neither will they obey until Grace hath restored this old Power and Principle of obedience which they had lost And therefore he Regenerates and infuses this Power and Principle into men to make them willing Subjects and obedient Children 1 Pet. 1.14 Rom. 6.16 17 22. This was Gods End in sending Paul to convert the Gentiles Rom. 15.18 and this is powerfully effected in men in and by the work of Regeneration 6 That they might serve and worship him according to his revealed will God made men to worship and serve him externally as well as internally by loving fearing him and the like Christ mentions this in Matth. 4.10 when the Devil desired external worship from him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God They were created in the Image of God to serve him with fear that is to worship God Psal 2.11 Heb. 12.28 Now God Regenerates men that they may by his Grace be enabled to do and perform that worship to him which he at first created them for and the Law of their Creation enjoyns them to that is to worship God in Spirit and Truth for such Christ tells us the Father seeks to worship him John 4.23 24. God works them for this self-same thing though not only for it says Paul 2 Cor. 5.5 Regeneration makes men together with the help of the Spirit worship God according to his own Will and appointment spiritually holily and acceptably through Jesus Christ Heb. 12.28 1 Pet. 2.5 Rom. 12.1 But assuredly there are not any such Worshippers in the World but Regenerate persons for all other men do what they do in the Worship of God without the Grace and Spirit of God and therefore cannot worship him in Spirit and Truth 7 God created Man in his own Image that they might know him and therefore gave them a sufficient light to see by and eyes to use that light revealed and made known himself unto them that they might clearly see him and always have him and his Will in their eyes The Image of God was Light and Knowledge as well as Righteousness and Holiness and therefore Adam knew and saw God so far as a Man was or in that state could be capable of knowing him which as it aggravated his sin so it heightned his happiness while he kept it The knowledge of God was absolutely necessary to help him and us in him to trust love fear and obey him so likewise to
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
22.37 That is thou shalt not faile to serve thy God with thy all Thus David did Psal 119.10 With my whole heart have I sought thee And in Psal 103.1.2 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name For doing this the poor Widow was much commended namely for casting into the Treasury her all Mark 12.41 ult Her mites was her offering to God the matter was small indeed not worth the minding among men I but it was her all and so it was of great account with Christ The question is not about the quantity whether the offering be much or little but whether it be thy all or no. We are often tempted to put off God with part of our all and with pretence for our so doing But let us take heed and beware of this grosse and horrible Hipocrisy for God will not long winck at it When we have been tempted to do so then we are put upon studying and makeing excuses when we have Napkind up our Talents and not brought them forth then we had them not and when we have laid aside our strength or not stir'd it up to practice then alass we are poor weak Creatures then we complain of wants and weaknesses when in truth it is our wickedness and carelesness But take heed and beware of this Temptation and deceit Sixthly You must be singular and peculiar in all things and in all your wayes towards God and men There should yea there must be as great a difference between you and unregenerate men as between light and darkness good and evil For you are a holy people unto God Children of light and a Special and a peculiar people indeed Deut. 7.6 Eph. 5.8 Tit. 2.14 You are of a divine make and of a heavenly descent and are born to and for higher and more noble Acts Works and Employments and to more excellent frames carriages than others are Therefore you must exceed and go beyond others in all manner of holy conversations and godliness that thereby you may declare and hold forth your distinguishing Characters and manifest what Grace can do beyond nature I shall for brevity sake give you but hints of several things that you should be singular in In the general you must be singular in all those works frames of heart carriages duties and deportments which are yours or in an especial manner required of you as new creatures and which other men are unacquainted withall 1. As First The excercise of all Graces in external duties In all the worship and ordinances of God and in all religious matters you must call up bring forth and exercise all the Graces of the Spirit There must not one hooff be left behind of your Graces when you worship God but all must be employed in it Your faith Love knowledge zeal hope patience c. whatever is entrusted in your hands to worke and worship God withall must concur and work together in the doing of it 2. Self-denial This is alwaies necessary in all your walkings with God For one accursed Self or other will alwaies be interposing opposing and intercepting of you to hinder and obstruct you or to mar and utterly spoil your duties and performances You are called off from serving and gratifying self to the serving and pleasing of God and you are called to the constant work of Self-denial and therefore you must do it Againe you must be singular in Watching and guarding in keeping and defending your selves against all your spiritual Enemies within and without and you must keep on and make continual use of your Spiritual Armour and fight down all such Adversaries as raise up against you Eph. 6 11-18 1 Tim. 6.12 These are some of the many workes and duties that you must be continually exercised about and employed in 〈◊〉 which you shall find true peace and comfort Secondly You must expect many assaults and â—â—â—ng attempts upon you from all the Enemies of your Souls The Devil world and Lusts will continually endeavour to tempt draw and ensnare you to and in all evil They will not let you â—one but be alwayes watching you and improveing all their opportunities against you â—ight and day in all places and businesses to â—â—tice and perswade you to sin against God and men to cause you to rob God wrong your own Souls and injure men and they are Subtle and potent But I may not enlarge at present And therefore shall only mention some of the many obligations God hath laid on and encouragements he hath given you to walk with 〈◊〉 unto all well pleasing in your new states Remember what God hath made you what excellent pieces of his Work-manship you are and what expences the Lord Jesus hath been at and hid out to make you a peculiar people unto himself He will never leave you nor forsake you but water you every moment keep you night and day supply all your wants keep you by his mighty power and guide you by his Counsels until he shall receive you unto his glory Heb. 13.5 Phill. 4.19 Isa 27.3 1 Pet. 1.5 Psal 73.24 The holy Ghost shall abide with you for ever Joh. 14.16 impart to and convey into your Souls all the fullness of Christ Joh. 16.13.14.15 and whatever Christ hath is yours His Joy Peace Life Light Strength Love and Glory is your 1 Cor. 3. and you may go to and have free access to him for all that is his FINIS Reader I intreat thee to mend and pass 〈◊〉 charitable Judgment on the faults thou wilâ— find in thy Reading which are not thâ— Authors but the Printers The chiefest 〈◊〉 them are here noted PAge 3. l. 14. put out of p. 20. l. 4. put out word p. 25. l. 〈◊〉 for hypocrisy r. apostacy p. 28. l. 12. for hearers r. feaâ—â— p. 49. l. 13. for verities r. verilies p. 59. l. 8. r. repossessâ— p. 62. l. 28. r. meetening p. 63. l. 25. r. fixed p. 70. l. 9. 〈◊〉 for knowing r. making l. 33. put of before or p. 71. l. 12. 〈◊〉 can p. 72. l. 31. for will r. we p. 85. l. 21. r. external p. 1â— l. 8. r. they p. 118. l. 6. r. shining p. 119. l. 12. r. Regenerâ—â—â— p. 124. l. 30. r. will p. 129. l. 11. r. accompanied with p. 1â— l. 23. for of r. as p. 137. l. 9. for will 5. glory p. 139. l. 31. 〈◊〉 this r. thy p. 145. l. 13. r. abase p. 148. l. 34. r. laid p. 1â— l. 18. r. cause p. 155. l. 20. put out the l. 21. r. upon p. 160. 〈◊〉 r. Jer. p. 173. l. 25. r. unregenerate p. 177. l. 22. for but r. 〈◊〉 p. 179. l. 9. r. an p. 185. l. 20. for to r. do p. 188. l. 7. 〈◊〉 that p. 192. l. 13. r. the l. 32. r. conversion p. 196. l. 17. 〈◊〉 out ly p. 197. l. 34. r. and themselves about p. 200. l. 13. â— unregenerate p. 204. l. 2. for now r. know p. 207. l. 11.1 〈◊〉 p. 208. l. 34. for now r. nor p. 214. l. 22. r. bequeathed p. 2â— l. 10. r. own p. 223. l. 32. r. your
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
cause joy and sorrow in the same New Creature These are some of the holy spiritual affections and passions which are formed in the Soul in Regeneration and if you are indeed Regenerate persons you can in some degree experience them in your hearts therefore try and examine your selves by them if you are in a Regenerate state and condition Seventhly The New Creature is full of spiritual and heavenly desires after Divine Matters and Concernments Isa 26.8 Psal 10.17 2 Chron. 15.15 Pro. 11.23 Unregenerate men are full of carnal worldly desires Eph. 2.3 of which they make their boast Psal 10.3 But the New Creatures heart is full of spiritual desires their desires are ascending not descending they came from Heaven and like Fire they do naturally bend and ascend thither from whence they came they greatly desire to be holy and conformable in heart and life to the Will of God they greatly desire to know and see Jesus Christ and to have intimate and constant Communion with him Psal 63.1 2. Exod. 33. They that are Regenerated desire the death and destruction of all their Lusts and the thorough cleansing of their hearts of all sin Psal 51. Rom. 7. They desire to love God as he is to be loved to fear him as he is to be feared to trust him as he is to be trusted to serve and please him as he ought to be served and pleased and to honour and glorifie him as he ought to be honoured and glorified They desire that Christ may rule in their hearts and that he will pull down all his Enemies there that so he may Reign alone so as that they may not serve sin or carnal Self any more they defire to have their hearts always in Heaven and to be spiritually-minded continually they desire the coming of Christ and that his Kingdom may be established above the tops of the Mountains and be exalted above the Hills Isa 2.2 3. Rev. 22. ult They desire that his Name may be great among the Gentiles and find acceptance among the Jews They desire that the Gospel may run and be glorified and find acceptance among all sorts of men and they desire to see a great Spirit of Humility Zeal and Gospel-Holiness upon Professors of the good ways of Jesus Christ In a word they desire whatever God tells them he desires of or for them Doth God desire them to be holy in all manner of Conversation and to be fruitful in every good work why they desire the same too Doth God will and desire that they should love the Brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 be good and charitable to the poor simpathize with and help them in their afflictions Mat. 25. why they desire the same also Would God have them single and sincere hearted to himself and all men and do to all men as they would have them do to themselves why they do will and desire the same likewise Would God have them seek his glory in all their ways watch and guard their hearts render good for evil be in his fear all the day long Pro. 23.17 not depart from God but give him their hearts walk with him and perfect holiness in his fear 2 Cor. 7.1 why the same they greatly will and desire also So that as Daniel was said to be a man of desires Dan. 9.23 margin so all Regenerate persons are men of desires They are fuller of heavenly desires after divine things than of all other good things They desire to have what they cannot get as yet and to do that which they cannot do But they are as it were made up of desires after the doing and obtainment of them Regenerate mens desires are good and great desires they shew what a man is and by them they may know their States whether they be Regenerate or unregenerate persons If the desires of a man be wholly or mostly after the things of the flesh there is a carnal man if after holyness Christ and heavenly things there is a Spiritual man indeed For as the flood of thy desires are so art thou Performanes are short but desires are long obtainments are few but desires are many in all reall Regenerate persons To will and desire they find when they find not how to perform and act their desires Eightly New Creatures or Regenerate Persons are born to and imployed in great special and peculiar works and services namely such as other men and they themselves were strangers to before They loathed the very names of them and would by no means be perswaded to mind or consider them before But now they are their works their chosen desired loved and highly esteemed works and services They are their acceptable and most delightful works now because they are the works of God and for God their Father and also because their hearts and Souls are by the Grace of Regeneration suited to them The Laws of them are written in their hearts and in all the faculties of their Souls Jer. 3.33 Heb. 8.10 Heb. 10.16 so that they are natural to and in them Now all natural works or actions are pleasant and delightful to men and so are New Creatures acts works and services to them I delight to do thy will O God says David how so why the Law of God was written in his heart Psal 40.8 Heb. 10. so Paul Rom. 7.22 They are born to and for them and they are created with and in them Ephes 2.10 For we are his work-manship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them so Rom. 7.4.6 First they were Elected Chosen and Ordained to and for them Eph. 2.10 Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 2.9.2 we are Redeemed to and for them Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Cor. 14.15 3 we are called and Regenerated to and for them 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Pet. 2.9 Eph 2.10 They are by Election Redemption and Regeneration made a Special and peculiar People unto God and for holy and special works in which works and Services they are ever exercised after their Regeneration God ever imploys them and they walk and excercise themselves in them as their great Trade and businesse Phil 3.20 These Special and peculiar works and Services of Regenerate men are many I shall name but a few of them to you at this time They are Born again as with the Love of God in their hearts so to Love God withall their heart all their daies Deut. 30.6 Rom. 5.5 This is their care worke and excercise and that not only to love God simply but to love him Sincerly Heartily Strongly Purely Fervently and Constantly and Obediently To love God as God and as their God as their great and everlasting and as their Gracious Kind and Loving God to love him in the Superlative degree as their chiefest and only good This work they love and delight in they contrive and project it study and endeavour to do it as they ought and this they resolve on and use all means to obtain it They
matters not at all in these They onely mind and follow the things of the Flesh whilst others do mostly mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5.6 Phil. 3.19 20. Regerate men do mostly mind how to please God Carnal men how to please them elves Regenerate men do mind and endeavour to honour the will of God and obey it Carnal men do mind and endeavour to know their carnal Interests and obey the will of the flesh Regenerate men do live in Heaven converse with delight in and set their minds and affections on things above Carnal men do onely converse with live in delight in and set their mindes and affections on things here below Regenerate men do mind and endeavour to be rich in grace and good works Carnal men how to get and keep the good things of this world Regenerate men do make Religion their business Carnal men do make sin their profits and pleasures their business Regenerate men do live in the Spirit and walk in and after the Spirit Carnal men do live in and walk in the flesh and the things thereof These are some of the many differences and contrarieties of regenerate and unregenerate men which have now been presented to you to help you to try your selves and to make a right judgment of your states and conditions Therefore do you prove and examin your selves by them whether you are in a regenerate or unregenerate state yea or no. For as suredly if you be regenerated and born againe you may find many if not all these marks and characters of regenerate persons in and on you You are indeed such persons in measure within and without in heart and life as you have heard regenerate persons are And know that if it be otherwise with you and you care not to know or find such real signes of regeneration in you nor any other of like import that then you ought to fear and tremble judge your selves and conclude that you are as yet in an unregenerate state and condition and under the curse and wrath of God And if so let me in the name of Christ exhort and perswade you to go to God the Father in Christ his name and tell him how it is with you Fall down before him pray and beseech him to pitty you and give regenerating Grace and with all Importunity and Constancy cry to him and wait for him to come and give you new hearts stamp his Image and divine nature on you and now with all possible speed to convert and make you new Creatures indeed CHAP. V. Shewing there are but few reall Regenerate Persons among the multitudes of Professors Q. THere are many great Professors of the Name and good ways of Jesus Christ in the world which are called Christians May we think or judge them all Regenerate persons Are there many or but few Regenerate persons What shall we judge of this matter for all Professors do pretend to and would have men think them a singular and peculiar people such as are in a good and happy state and condition in which they cannot be except they are indeed Regenerated Ans That there are many great and high Professors of the holy Name and good ways of Jesus Christ is certain and that there are but few really Regenerate persons among them is as certain too That they have the Name and do own themselves Christians is also apparent but that they are not such in Truth I mean the greater number is clear and notorious as will appear by and by That they do pretend to and would have men think them to be what they are not indeed namely a singular and peculiar and a happy people is clear and that they are not so or such as they pretend to be is evident also Now this I shall the Lord helping prove and demonstrate to you as well as I can and I am sure I have clear proof for what I say That there are but a small number of Regenerate persons in the world Comparatively or if compared to the number of such as seem or profess to be such I shall evince by many Scripture Testimonies Math. 7 14. Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it Mark it few there be that find it namely among or of those that seek it which the most of men do not They do not so much as seek to be Regenerated and saved in the Lords way But of them who do really though not rightly seek to enter in at the strait Gate I say that such Professors shall not find it This is further confirmed in Luke 13 24. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate says Christ why because many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Another testimony is in Math. 20 16. For many are called but few are chosen So Math. 22 14. Christ calls his People A little Flock fear not little Flock says Christ to and of his true Disciples Luâ— 12 32. And the Apostle Paul assures us Rom. 9 27. That although the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a Remnant shall be saved Now who or what kind of men were they which are so innumerable and should not be saved were they the Heathenish world such as the Apostle saith Eph. 2.12 Are strangers without hope and without God in the world No they were the Seed of Abraham John 8 37. To whom appertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Rom. 9 4. They were Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles of whom he speaks that they should perish and be damned And yet there was amongst them a little flock a small Remnant that should be saved but these were comparatively very few For what is a small Remnant in number compared with the innumerable sands of the Sea God tells us in Jer. 3.14 That he will take one of a City and two of a family and bring them to Sion What is one or two to a City and Tribe where were many thousands and yet you see these are the number of Regenerated and saved persons Thus you see the Truth Cleared and confirmed by many express Scriptures But I shall further prove and explain this Truth namely that there are but a very few Regenerate men comparitively to the multitude of high Professors thus First the Scripture or the holy God in his Word shews us that there are but a few a very small number that shall be saved as was shewed therefore there are but a few Regenerated for all Regenerate persons shall be saved 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. The Lord Jesus that knows the number of them to a man having all their Names in the Book of Life and calls them all by their Names Revel 21 ult Joh. 10 3. tells us so and he knows very well what he saith He is the Truth its self