argues to the beleeving Hebrewes Heb. 10.34 and so of the rest Ye have an Unction from the holy one and ye know all things sayes the Apostle John 1 Joh. 2.29 And again the anointing which ye have received of him teacheth you c. and it is Truth and is no lie what 's this Unction and Anointing Even Regeneration and the sanctifying work of the Spirit the work of the new creature in them this abiding in them it taught them c. And this by the way gives us an account of the contrary Errors and false Doctrines and opinions which are abroad in the world why there are so many strange Tenents and conclusions which are broach'd and divulged not only in lighter matters and such as are of smaller concernment wherein every one hath liberty to abound in his own sense so he disturbs not the common peace of the Church but in the very substantials and fundamentals of Religion the truth of it plainly is this because there is so great a defect as to the work of Grace Therefore we have so many Hereticks because we have so many Hypocrites if men had better hearts they would have better heads and if they were better Christians they would be better Divines But because they fail in the one therefore they prove defective in the other That man that has a gracious spirit he cannot easily have a corrupt Judgement in those things which are of the Essence of godlinesse because his experience will set him right and prevent such corruptions in him Indeed it does not hold reciprocally and è converso A man may be orthodox in his judgement and yet but barren in his heart as not receiving the Truth in the love of it But he cannot be savoury in his spirit and rotten and unfound in his Judgement in a spiritual Truth at least so as long to abide and continue in it what ever he may for a fit and in a Temptation be subject unto as in any vice or enormity of practise yet to abide in it that he will not no more then he will in the other No if he be right in Affection he will accordingly be right in Opinion and if he be not he will not but then he will recover himself again These distempers they lye not in the Brain so much as in the Heart in the Heart originally and in the Brain only symptomatically By sympathy and complication you know as concernes the workings of the soul in a natural way there may be sometimes strange fancies and conceits arising from some lighter melancholy and distemper of body But where there are contradictions of reason and common sense it argues laesa principia some distraction or phrenetical humour Even so here in these spiritual improvements men may perchance erre in lighter matters through ignorance or non-attendency but to erre in fundamentals is an argument of some substantiall defect as to the work of Grace it self There are two Reasons especially why those which are of false hearts should be of false judgements in Religion The one is direct and immediate from the nature of the thing it self as the effect flowing from its proper and univocall cause And the other occasional and consequential as proceeding from the just Judgement of God who because they receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therfore sends them strong delusions that they should believe lies And thus ye see as an improvement of this point what great cause we every one have to make this work sure to our selves That we are indeed such persons as in this sense are born in Sion Now further where we prove to be so we have great cause likewise to acknowledge it and to blesse and praise God for it and the opportunities of it as who hath pleased to deal so graciously with us as herein he hath done When all 's done this is the great mercy of all and there 's none like unto it It is the original and fundamental Mercy and which layes the ground for all the rest Look as it is in the world all the consequent comforts of it they depend upon our Birth into it If we be stifled in the Birth there 's a period to all our worldly expectations or the hopes of our Parents for us Even so it is also in Religion as to the comforts and accommodations of that If we be not regenerate and born again there 's no hope for us at all If we be so we are then made for ever This Regeneration it brings in many other comforts with it Ability to serve God Benefit of the Ordinances improvement of all passages of Providence the peace of conscience and joy of the Holy Ghost and Heaven and salvation at last If we have any of these consequent priviledges belonging to us as Christians it does depend upon this primitive mercy that we are the children of God adopted and regenerated by Him Therefore let us blesse God for this above any thing else and for all the means which have been tending and conducing to this gracious work in us Let us think our selves so far born in Sion not only as we are born in it locally within the pales of the visible Church which I spake of before but also as we are born in it mystically that is as Members of the Church which is invisible and have the true and genuine work of saving Grace wrought in our hearts This is to be born in Sion and this is to be born in London indeed to be born in it thus They are not only born in London which are born within the Wals and Suburbs and Liberties within the Freedome and compasse of the City and here breath their first natural Breath No but which being born abroad though in remote and forein Countreys and Nations are here partakers of the Efficacy of the Ordinances and of the Power of the Gospel upon their hearts And they have cause for ever to bless God for such a mercy vouchsafed unto them these are the priviledges of the City indeed more then any thing else Whosoever he be that God has been pleased to make this City in which we now are to be an occasion of his Regeneration and Conversion to himself This City is the true place of his Nativity though the place of his Birth into the world were perhaps many hundred miles off though in Italy in Turky in India though in the farthest and remotest places of all the earth I will make mention of Rahab Babylon among them that know me They which were born at the lands end they were born in the very Heart of the City if it was thus with them This to the praise of Gods grace and to their own everlasting comfort is and still will be the condition of many an one at this time and in this very place There 's many a poor youth which comes up hither to the City from the furthest parts of the Nation and from the blindest
moulded into us and we into it Imbred not by the first Nature but by the second we are created in Christ Jesus to good works and so his workmanship Ephes 2.10 And if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature And nothing which is lesse then this will be sufficient for us This may be discovered in us and to us according to the several workings of this new Creature in us If we be born in Sion we shall understand the language of Sion we shall speak the phrase of it we shall agree with the diet of it as new born babes we shall desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow therely Ex eisdem principiis nutrimur è quibus constamus those Truths which are most spiritual in this case will be most acceptable unto us A twofold Discovery There are two senses in Nature which we call senses of Necessity as such which are absolutely required to the Being of a living Creature And there are the same proportionably in Grace and required to the Being of a Christian Tactus Custus A spiritual Touch and a spiritual Taste a tendernesse of spirit and a savourinesse of spirit what we feel and what we relish And accordingly may we from hence judge of the work of Regeneration in us 1. By a spiritual Touch. First by our spiritual Touch in that tendernesse of conscience which is in us Where there 's life there will be sense and so here A twofold Tendernesse There 's a double tendernesse antecedent and consequent antecedent to keep us from evill and consequent to check us for it And both these necessary to a Christian 1. Antecedent First for that which is Antecedent a Christian has a tendernesse here to restrain him and keep him in from whence he cannot do every thing which another can do or which his Nature inclines him to And that upon principles of Judgement and right information A scrupulous Conscience is not alwaies a tender Conscience nor a tender Conscience a scrupulous The one oftentimes proceeds from weaknesse of Judgement The other from strength of Grace and the principles of spiritual life in us which therefore we cannot be without and in the mean time be true Christians Those which have a wide swallow and can down with any thing indefinitely without any chawing they have cause to suspect themselves as that all is not right with them as to the work of Grace in them 2. Consequent Secondly There 's a Consequent or Subsequent Tendernesse from whence Conscience checks for evill this is also a very good character when the soul that is guilty of sin is presently troubled for it and troubled with it and that though never so small nor never so secret and that not only from natural conscience but from a work of the spirit This is that which we may observe oftentimes in divers of the Saints in Scripture As David for example he was a man of a tender spirit and his Heart it presently smote him for any thing which was amisse in him so will ours doe likewise if we be of the same spirit with him There will be in us upon any miscarriage which is discern'd by us Singultus Cordis an upbraiding or rising of Heart as it is termed by Abigail in 2 Sam. 25.31 And the more Gracious still the more quick and apprehensive in this particular Look as it is in the Body the finest constitutions are most sensible of a distemper so in the soul are the most spiritual Christians most sensible of an infirmity in themselves 2. A spiritual Taste But secondly As there 's a discovery of us from our spiritual Touch so likewise from our spiritual Taste we may see what we are by this Creatures which have life they have a relish to distinguish of what is good for them from what is hurtfull and offensive and so it is in the new creature A double Taste A true Christian he has his palat rightly qualified in him and that to a double purpose First to distinguish Truth from Error and secondly to distinguish solid meat from Trash 1. Of Truth from Error First Truth from Error A gracious heart will distinguish this especially such truths as are material and of the substance of Religion the more there is of true Grace there will be a closing with true Doctrine If any man do the will of him that sent me he shall know of the Doctrine which I teach whether it be of God or no sayes our blessed Saviour Joh. 7.17 There are principles in the Conscience answerable to Doctrines in the word and these agree one with the other like two Indentures and disagree there where they are contrary Those which are for all kinde of Tenents are commonly for all kinde of practises and a latitude of judgement hath a latitude of conversation with it 2. Of solid meat from trash Secondly There 's a discerning likewise of solid meat from trash Kickshawes and slight provisions will not satisfie hungry stomachs no more will fancies and speculations and wordings and quirks of wit hungry souls Those which have the true spiritual appetite and taste in them they will relish as nothing but truth so nothing neither but substantial food The words of Faith and good Doctrine which they are nourisht up in 1 Tim. 4.6 And the words of Truth and sobernesse Act. 26.25 These and the like accomplishments with them are the discoveries of this spiritual life and birth whereof we now speak The Exhortation renewed And therefore to renew the Exhortation let us consider how far we do indeed partake of them There are many which are exceedingly mistaken in this businesse who take Civility for Christianity and Morality for true Piety and some common work of the Spirit for the work of saving Grace and spirituall Regeneration which are but half converted Christians Not far from the Kingdome of God and yet likely never to come thither according to the state and condition in which at present they are But Embryoes and Abortives in Religion nay scarce so much as that as Agrippa almost perswaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a miserable thing and so much the more miserable as for the most part they please themselves in it We bewail Molas and false conceptions in Nature and what is it then to have them in Grace and in Spirituals as many men have Grounds of self-deceit There are divers Grounds and occasions of this self-deceit Some there are that judge of themselves according as others judge of them Because they are well thought of abroad and are cryed up in the world have the opinion and good esteem of such and such godly Christians and of such and such godly Ministers which are willing to make the best of a little and to incourage some small appearances of good in them that so they may draw them on to more therefore they think the work of Grace is
complete and finisht in them It may be they are in such a form and way of profession attend upon such a Ministery and are accustomed to such such company therefore they must needs be as good as those which they are acquainted withall But alas what poor things are these to hold by and to build ones hope upon Oh Beloved these will serve in a day of peace but they will not serve in a day of trouble as long as men are in health and prosperity and out of the reach of Temptation such weak things as these may suffice them and satisfie their mindes but in sicknesse and death and the hour of triall these things they will not serve Then they 'l be ready to cry out with him Alia sunt Judicia hominum alia sunt Judicia Dei The opinions of men are one thing and the opinion of God is another whose Judgement is according to Truth and so most of all to be regarded by us that so we may have rejoycing in our selves alone and not in another having approved our work to him as it is Gal. 6.4 We finde in ordinary experience that those which have most of the Cry have least of the Wool It is so in every thing almost we can name which do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a fair shew in the flesh and that 's enough for them they think and God in judgement suffers it to be so that whiles men are taken with applause and esteem of themselves accordingly they may have their reward and it may be all which is eminent in them Others there are that judge of themselves by some abilities which they are indued withall or performances which come from them which reckon of Grace by Gifts and by duties which they are conversant in Because perhaps they have such a measure and degree of knowledge obtained by education and converse or such a measure and degree of utterance and discourse facility of expression as a natural qualification in them therefore their case is good with them whereas alasse all this may be and the heart the mean while rem in unchanged And so for performances because they abound in them which though good and to be abounded in yet are no demonstration Much lesse which too many uphold by their plenty and prosperity in the world These are all far from the mark and do not come up to this work of the new Creature which is here exhibited to us Let us therefore all labour to be upon surer termes in a businesse of so great concernment and whereupon all our hope and comfort does especially depend as indeed it does If we be not the children of Sion we are the children of Satan and if we be not in this sense born there we are born to very little purpose Therefore let us make this good to our selves upon infallible grounds Errors in the first foundation they are for the most part irrecoverable I am sure 't is so here if we be not right as to the fundamental work and beginnings of Godliness in us all our following profession and conversation it comes to nothing As we see again it is in Nature and in the state of the Body if a man be not well-born that is of a sound and healthful constitution but have some notorious defect of Nature in him with which he came into the world he will never be right all his life though ye physick him and patch him up as much as ye can because there is a flaw in his principles Even so is it also here in Grace and as to the state of the Soul If a man have not the right work of conversion and regeneration in him he will never be a good and sound Christian as long as he lives he may be patcht up a little with duties and good society and such things as these which are things which I do not slight there are too many in the world that do in these present daies but if he hath nothing else besides he will be but a Skeleton nay a Monster in Religion and of no account To presse home this point so much the more of indevouring for this work which we speak of let us take in this consideration with us that namely this will make us so much the more constant and stedfast in Religion Those that take up Religion upon trust or upon custome because others do so they are very uncertain in the profession of it because their principles are uncertain on which they stand But now those who are Religious from the principles of the new Creature they will be firm and abiding in it There 's nothing which is so convincing as Sense and the Demonstrations which are made to that now thus it is here in this present businesse there 's a spiritual sense as well as a natural and the former full as satisfactory as the latter for that proportion in which it is in us Look as a man in Nature he has these and these natural workings in him which he is sure of and cannot be beaten from so in Grace are there the lâ—ke workings of Spirit which cannot be gainsayed There are the Experiences of Christians as Christians which all Christians are acquainted withall And this was the Apostles meaning in that expression of his to the Philippians in Phil. 1.9,10 And this I pray that your love may abound yet more in all knowledge and in all judgement or as it is in the margent in all sense for so the word properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to answer that of David Psal 119.66 Give me good judgement and knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Taste and knowledge There 's a taste in Grace as well as there is in Nature and that I say as firm as the other and which Believers partaking of they from hence become more setled and resolved then other men are the Truths which another man knowes and believes only from discourse a Christian knowes from experience As for Instance in two or three particulars Another man he believes there 's a God for such and such natural reasons which perswade him to it a Christian because he has acquaintance and converse and communion with him Another man acknowledges the Scriptures from the Testimony and authority of the Church which has transmitted them to him A beleever from the power and efficacy and autopisty in the Scriptures themselves and that agreement and correspondency which they have with his own heart and conscience so far forth as renewed Another man beleeves there 's an Heaven and a blessed estate and condition of Gods people in another world because it is a point which is received by all that mention Christianity a regenerate person and childe of God who is born in Sion from the first fruits of the Spirit and the anticipations and beginnings of Heaven in his own soul Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and more induring substance as the Apostle