Robbing God and his soul of their due Aptness and Proness of heart to close up and fall in with temptation to Sin His Passion Anger Wrath Peevishness Vanity Frothyness Carnal Security departing of the heart from God and Duty and an aversness to it to envy and grudge at others prosperity and to revenge wrongs or injuries received from men and whatever other evils 〈◊〉 finds the heart enclined to so likewise its want of spiritualness of heart freedom and cheerfulness in the worship and service of God Also its hardness of heart unprofitableness under the means of Grace and unusefulness in the world These and many other lusts and sins are its burdens they oppress press him down These are the Mountains that lay on the back of the new Creature and it earnestly longs for and desires deliverance from them all Moreover they are greatly burdened with the Treachery and deceitfulness of their hearts their fears doubts and distractions in duty their want of heavenly mindedness love to God delighting in him and his service They are burdened and smart under the sense of the impurity of their hearts and great insensibility of Mercies and because God is not honoured and glorified by them as he should be They are burdened because their Lusts are so strong and powerful as that when they would do good they cannot And as they are burdened with these and many other Evils of their own so they feel a great weight in others sins likewise Rivers of waters run down their Eyes because other men are Transgressors of Gods I am Psal 119.136 And says Paul who is weak and I am nor weak 2 Cor. 11.29 And ye are puffed up and have not rather Mourned 1 Cor. 5.2 You should have been afflicted in Spirit for your Brothers sin because God was dishonoured and his Gospel Blasphemed his People shamed and the world stumbled by reason of it Now they are burdened wounded and bleed under the sense of wicked mens prophaneness debauchery and contempt of the Gospel of Christ But they are mostly wounded with the evils and miscarriages of Professours and such as they hope are the People of God Their Pride Worldliness Frothyness Back-bitings negligence and carelesness in the matters of God their censorious and rash Judgings of one another their want of Love Kindness and Charity to each other and their brawlings and contentions one with another and their coldness and lukewarmness in Religion with other their sins do deeply wound and pierce them to the heart and that because they are a shame and dishonour to their Father Husband and Head his Name and People and because him whom they love and honour is not glorifyed in and by them And further as they are burdened and wounded with other sins and miscarriages so likewise with the Reproaches and other sufferings of good Men. Who is afflicted and I burn not says Paul 2 Cor. 11.29 Their Brethrens Bonds are their Bonds Heb. 13.3 their Reproaches Pains Losses Poverty Weaknesses and Persecutions are their own They are in Pain Bonds Poverty c. with them They have Spirits to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 16. And it must needs be so because they are Fellow-Members of the same Spiritual Body joyned to Christ their Head and if they are not sympathizers with and Fellow-feelers of each others Afflictions it is certain they are not living but dead Members whatever they profess themselves to be or pretend to 1 Cor. 12.25 26 27. read and ponder that Scripture New Creatures have a feeling of many other Burdens also The Temptations of the Devil snares and allurements of the world are their heavy and grievous Burdens They grown under them and earnestly desire to be delivered from them They find by woful experience that the Devil shoots his Fiery Darts at them and labours Night and Day by his Wiles to draw them from God and to entangle them in Sin Eph. 6. They know that he hath his Devices or Methods 2 Cor. 2.11 and that he doth like a Lyon walk up and down seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 and therefore are fain to be always on their guard to keep Watch and Ward against him Nighâ— and Day that he surprize them not and draâ— or tempt them to Sin They know that he 〈◊〉 a subtle and strong Enemy and how he haâ—â— prevailed over good men and caused them 〈◊〉 sin As David Peter and others and therefore they are afraid of him knowing their dangeâ— and the evils he may stir and move them unto if he should prevail The World likewise namely the good things of it are in soâ— sense burthensome to him not as they 〈◊〉 good things but as they are powerful to Sâ—duce and insnare the mind and affections draw them from God and Heavenly thing To carnalize the Mind deaden or cool 〈◊〉 Affections and take off the Spiritual taste favour and relish of Heavenly things the heart from duty and serious striving to enter is at the straight Gate Luk. 13.24 The world is like Pitch to our evil natures we can hardly touch it without being defiled with it like coals of fire in the bosome that will burn us and like a hedge of Thorns that will prick and tear us as experience shews The Lord Jesus knows how dangerous and pernicious the good things of this world would be to his disciples Souls and therefore charges them to take heed and beware of them lest at any time Mark it lest at any time you be insnared with them Luk. 21.34 2. As the feeling sense is sensible of smarts and cries out under the burdens and weights of these evils so it is deeply sensible of the great love and Grace of Christ to him he is heartily affected with his Rich mercy Eph 2. â— and the unsearchable Riches of Gods Grace to him Evil and good Grace and Sin affect him he is not onely deeply sensible of what he is and hath done to God but what God is to and hath done for him he is affected with the best things as well as the worst with matters of joy as well as sorrow he hath his Eye as well on the bright side of the Cloud as on the dark side of it and he is impressed with Gods goodness and holyness as well as with his own badness and vileness he takes in one as well as another and both make powerful impression on his feeling Sense The same Sense is capable of joy and Sorrow and there are in his view suitable objects and matters for both and he is really sensible of both But I hasten Fourthly Hearing New Creatures have a new Sense of Hearing The hearing Sense is appointed and given to men to receive and take in words spoken without which they know not what is spoken to them Now as men have the natural sense of hearing so Regenerate Persons have a new spiritual sense of hearing given them in Regeneration until then they are
That they may greatly rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God 1 Rom. 5.2 and for that glorious resurrection that is promised To this hope they are called in their Regeneration Eph. 1.18.44 and this is one of the fruits of the spirit in their hearts ever after 5. Joy Joy is another holy passion in good men There is the natural passion of joy in all men and there is the Spiritual passion of joy in Regenerate men There is the object or matter of joy and there is the joy it self and also the faculty or subject of joy The object or matters of joy and rejoycing to good men are Christ Grace and heavenly things Phill. 3.1.3 Phil. 44. Psal 4.4 Psal 32. ult 2 the joy its self which flows forth from these objects or matters of joy into their hearts For experience shews that sometimes the objects of joy are shut up and yield no joy at all to us when we do eye and mind them and would fain draw it out of them but they are like Clouds that give down no rain at all sometimes or as a Fountaine shut up 〈◊〉 sealed Cant. 4.12 But at other times they are opened to us and then the joy of the Lord refreshes and chears strengthens and warmes our Souls This is given us of God the Father Christ and the holy Spirit as a special expression of his Love and Grace to us The objects of joy will not afford it until he give it or command them to hand it out to us Psal 133.3 Rom. 14.17 Rom. 15.13 Gall. 5.22 Joh. 14. Job 15.11 Joh. 6.20 3 There is the faculty or subject of joy that is that which is onely capable of receiving the impressions of the joy of the Lord in the Soul and improving it aright This is that we call the affection or passion of joy and this is given to men namely as it is a Spiritual or new passion in Regeneration For thereby God makes them subjects capable of receiving and rightly embracing valuing and useing the heavenly joy he intends for and hath promised to give unto them in their walking with him in their Regenerate states Now they can and do rejoice in Christ Jesus Phill. 3.3 in his love and Grace and in his will and their duty Rom. 7.22 Psal 40. now they praise God with joyful lips Psal 63.5 and shout for joy of heart Psal 32. ult Now they rejoyce and work righteousness and walk on in their way rejoycing Acts 8.39 Isa 64.5 Their hearts are full of great and unspeakable joy at some seasons so as that their Vessels can now hold no more 1 Pet. 1.8 With this Holy Joy in their hearts they can run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40. ult Neh. 8.10 6. Sorrow This is in a sense a contrary passion or affection to that of Joy There is a natural and carnal sorrow and a holy and spiritual sorrow or grief of heart the first is common to all men the second is only found in Regenerate men Sorrow in a natural sense is an evil but in a spiritual sense it is a good passion Joy and sorrow are strong and vehement working passions in men when strongly imprest and deeply affected with real or supposed evil or good There is a worldly and there is a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 Regeneration brings into and sets up the godly sorrow in men and thereby they are enabled to sorrow after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 This passion is moved and imprest and the acts of godly sorrow are produced by several and these different objects and matters First their own lusts sins and God-provoking abominations their vileness and filthiness and their former contempts of Christ and despising slighting and rejecting his Love Grace Yoke Promises and Kindnesses These and many other evils and the serious thoughts and considerations of them do break and wound their hearts and cause much inward grief anguish and sorrow of heart and make them cry out unclean unclean what shall we do or how shall we appear before the holy and righteous God Acts 2.35 36 37 Acts 16. This causes them to sigh and mourn and erercise revengeful thoughts against themselves and to take indignation of themselves condemn abhor and loath themselves Ezek. 36.31 2 Cor. 7.11 And secondly the serious thoughts and considerations of the God Christ Grace Love and Kindness they have sinned against They see know and lay to heart who they have grieved wounded and dishonoured namely their God who had thoughts of love and peace for them when they were in their blood Ezek. 16. Jer. 29. They hope they had an interest in his heart and that he loved them before they loved God yea when they hated him and would have none of his counsel 1 Joh. 4.19 Pro. 1. They likewise see and consider the great Love and Grace of Christ and what great things he hath done and suffered for them to saâ—â— them from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1. ult The thoughts of the exceeding great patience and long-suffering of God towards them his pittying them and waiting on and for them that he might be gracious to them Isa 30.18 Rom. 2.4 5. Rom. 10. ult his standing at the door and knocking for them to have admission into their hearts Rev. 3.20 and how willing and importunate he was to be at peace and in friendship with them how basely and unworthily they carried themselves towards him and how they turned a deaf ear to his Calls and Invitations and made him wait so long for their acceptance of him even until his Locks were wet with the dew of the right Cant. 5. This works grief and raises great sorrow in their hearts So when they consider how their sins have stabb'd and murdred the Lord Jesus and put him to open shame Heb. 6 6. how they pulled down the wrath and Curse of God on him Gal. 3.12 and how he poured out sighs tears yea his precious Blood and Soul for them Isa 53. and likewise how their sins were imputed to and laid on him and how he was Crucified and killed for them and all to save them and instate them in his own Glory and Eternal Blessedness 2 Cor. 5. ult Joh. 10. Joh. 17. and how ungratefully they have demeaned themselves to him Oh! how doth this work on them how do these things irritate and cause sorrow and bitterness of Soul in them Now they can indeed look on him whom they have pierced and mourn and be in real bitterness of Soul as for their First-born Zach. 12.10 These and many other things which I cannot now mention do greatly melt them and provoke holy Sorrow and Repentance unto Life for as Christ his Love Grace and Sufferings do work on their passion of Joy irritates and provokes it so they do work on and cause much sorrow and grief of heart through the helps of the Spirit likewise The same objects and matters do work savingly and effectually on both namely to
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
and hereafter they may more fully enjoy in their present states and practises Sometimes he will threaten and affright them by telling them that they do make vain attempts for it is but lost labour for them to expect or look for Salvation for either God hates them they are not Elected or that the day of Grace is past and so there is no hope for them therefore they were better sit still and be quiet enjoy their pleasures and fulfil the desires of the flesh as long as they may He tells them that if they do begin to take up with the strict ways of Gospel Religion they will be undone never hold out to the end and so but heighten their miâ—sery thereby that there are but a few sillâ— Souls and that of the poorer sort that minâ— Religion or suffer such a work to be wroughâ— in them as Regeneration is and that to bâ— singular in this matter is but to expose themselves to all manner of infamy and reproach By these and many other stratagems doth the Devil labour to withstand Christ and obstruct our Regeneration and most pooâ— Souls are prevailed on to joyn Issue with him and continue to make stout opposition against the Holy Spirit his endeavours to convert them It is the Devil likewise that obstructs and hinders the Preaching of the Gospel to men by such Instruments as he is pleased to make use of for that end and purpose Thus he made use of the Jews to keep the Gospel from the Gentiles when the Apostles were sent to them with it and if he cannot keep the Gospel from men he wilâ— endeavour to keep and hinder them from hearing it sincerely preached to them And if this will not do but men will hear Christs Ministers Preach then he will cause men to turn a deaf ear to what they hear that doth more nearly concern their states and conditions lest the Gospel should fall with power on their hearts Thus the Devil wrought and prevailed on Stephen his hearers In Acts 7. it is said when he preached to them they stopped their ears But now in the mean while what a hard piece of work hath Christ on 't namely iâ— Regenerating us O what strong Castles must he assault and what potent Enemies must he fight down and destroy before the work of Regeneration can be thorowly effected But besides these there is another great obstruction in the way of Regeneration and that is the World The good and bad people and things of this world are great hinderances of our Regeneration The unworthy walkings of many Professors of the good ways of Christ and the reproaches and persecutions of the wicked are no small lets and impediments to and of Regeneration So are also the riches pleasures and honours of this World These pull back the hearts of men and keep them from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven Luk. 18.22 23. and these take off mens thoughts from serious minding of their states and another world These things lye so deep in our minds and affections and do so powerfully delude and bewitch all our senses that we have no minds wills or inclinations to mind or set our hearts on things above yea they have so great an interest in us and authority over us as that they do command our most serious and fixed attendance on them and greedy pursuit after them whereby the Calls and Commands of God are shut out of our hearts The smiles and good things of this world are the Gods or rather Idols of our hearts the Lovers that we dote on and are fond of and the great desire and delight of our Souls and they being so it is as easie for us to pull the Sun out of Heaven as our hearts from these things We may as well change a Black-morâ— Skin white or empty the Sea with a Nut-shell as to empty and cast out the World of our hearts and change their course and way Earthly things are our Lords and hold us fast as Prisoners in their Chains We are their Humble Servants and at their beck we go and come We are swallowed up in them at a Ship in a Gulf and they are enthroned and fixed in our hearts as in their proper place and center We mind and affect Earthly good things by Nature as our Heaven Happiness and satisfying good and see not neither will we be perswaded without Regenerating Grace that there is indeed any higher or greater happiness or real satisfaction to be found than what they can afford us These are called their good things because they account them so and are well pleased and contented with them without Christ and his Grace They had rather live in sin blindness and under the wrath of God with abundance of them then in Heaven and under Regeneration without them Luk. 12.16 17 18 20. Luk. 16.25 Luk. 18.22 23 24. Oh! How common is it with men to compass Sea and Land for the World to labour and toil night and day to get spend and be spent to keep it when gotten yea to hazard and venture their lives and Souls too to obtain and secure it and that because of their excessive and inordinate love to and delight in these things Men will much more willingly part with Christ Grace and Heaven than with their Riches Honours and Pleasures Hence Christ tells his Disciples that it is a hard matter for them to be saved that are rich Luk. 18.24.25 Now when Christ comes to regenerate and change our states he calls us off from so minding affecting and taking up with these things and to mind follow and set our hearts on heavenly Col. 3.1 2. And this is so cross and contrary unto the Natural Genius of our hearts and course of our lives our satisfaction and supposed happiness as that we will by no means be convinced of our folly and perswaded to come to Christ accept of him and his Regenerating Grace for our portion and happiness until he puts forth his Almighty Power to work and perswade us to it And O what a hard and difficult work hath Christ to do in us and for us What a world of stout oppositions and implacable Opposers doth Christ meet withal in this work The Lusts of our Hearts the Devil and World Carnal and Spiritual Self do all combine together to make Head and strong opposition against the Lord Jesus when he would Regenerate us CHAP. IV. Certain signs or undoubted Characters of Regenerate and Vnregenerate Persons Q. WHether Vnregenerate persons may not know and be sometimes strongly convinced that they are in an unregenerate and evil state and condition A. Yea they may and it is certain that many are so convinced but very loath they are to know it and exceeding unwilling to think themselves to be so and greatly provoked with such friends as tell them that they are in an evil case and unconverted state for we are all by nature exceeding proud and self-conceited We think too well of our own
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
or that have the faith to believe in him to 〈◊〉 saving of their Souls Heb. 10. ult There are many indeed that have a Faith and pretend to believe in Christ so John 8 31. Acts 8. but very few have that faith to do so in Truth neither do they much if at all desire and seek after such a Faith but are pleased and satisfied well enough without it Oh! how few are there who have the Faith of Gods Elect and their pretious Faith that do Believe through â—race and have that Faith which purifies the heart and leads them forth and carries them out of themselves to Christ to take up in him only Tit. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. Acts 15 9 Acts 18 27. This they could and would do indeed were they Regenerated for as hath been shewed all such as are Regenerated do so in and by the light and power of Christs grace in Regeneration 7. How few are there among the great multilades of professors that love God the Lord Jesus Christ his Grace Laws People and Gospel Obedience â—â—re or so much as they do their own Lusts the world and their own carnal profits pleasures and honours Oh! how few are there that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Eph. 6. ult and with their whole hearts Math. 22.37 how few are there to be found that have their hearts circumcised to love the Lord and that have had the holy Ghost sheding abroad the love of God into their hearts as all regenerate persons have Deut. 30.6 Rom. 5.5 Is it not apparent that the most of professors are strong and greedy fervent and zealous Lovers of the world and carnal self 2 Tim. 3.2 men shall in the last dayes sayes Paul be lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then God Vers 4. And is it not really so now with the greater number of professors which shews they are in an unregenerate state and condition For were they new Creatures indeed they would love God Jesus Christ and heavenly things as the great and onely objects of their lovely delight choice and complacency All other things would be to them as they were to regenerate Paul namely diâ—â— and dung in comparison of Christ Grace Gospel-obedience Holyness Heaven and heavenly things Phil. 3. 8. How few are there who have or are about the great work of Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts in good earnest which were they â—ew Creatures indeed they would assuredly be much concerned in and busying themselves about as one of their great and indispensible workes and businesses For all regenerate persons are seriously exercising themselves in this work Gall. 5.24 they 〈◊〉 purifying their hearts by faith and perfecting holiness in the fear of God Acts. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 2 Co. 7.1 But so are not the Generality of professors they are strangers if not eneâ—ies to this work They are as was said in 〈◊〉 with them they are their joy and deâ—ight and who will seek and unfainedly endeavour to destroy them they love deilght and take pleasure in These are onely the works of regenerate men 9. How few are there who do unfainedly repent 〈◊〉 their Sins and mourn night and day for their transgressions are in real bitterness of soul and abase Judge and condemn themselves which if they were regenerated they would 〈◊〉 They would humble themselves be ashamed of themselves for uncovering their nakedness and laying open their shame before God and men and they would repent in dust and Ashes withall their hearts and Souls Job 42.5.6 Izek. 36.31 For this is the New Creatures dayly worke Regenerate men have that berefit of Christ his Resurrection and Ascension as well as others namely Repentance Acts 5.31 and that great grant and fruit of the Covenant of Grace and the blood of it Acts 11.18 Heb. 13.20 Repentance unto Life By the power of which they practice Repentance They have it in their hearts and act it in their walkings They mark and observe what they should be and what Errors and mistakes they are guilty of mourn for it and labor to mend them But do the multitude of professors do so no not in the least they cast these things out of all serious Consideration it is a work they loath and wholly neglect It is too low and base business for them to mind or concern 10. How few are there among the multitudes of professors who make it their business to please and honour God to fear and reverence him and to worship him in Spirit and Truth This or these matters would be strong and powerful on their hearts and Souls and they would labour to do it indeed were they regenerated For all regenerate men have it so on their hearts and they do really aim at and endeavour it as was before proved Phill. 3.3 God hath wrought in them that which is well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 and to worship him in Spirit and Truth Joh. 4.23 They are formed by Grace to honour and magnifie God and to make it their work and business Isa 43.21 and are created in Christ Jesus unto this and all other good works Eph. 2.10 They are renewed in knowledge to understand them and with power and will to do them Coll. 3.10 Phil. 2.13 Psal 110.3 But where are such persons to be found among Professors O! how few how this are they sown and how rarely do they appear if compared with others how few have the power of Godliness in comparison of them who take up with the meer forme how few professors are Spiritually minded persons who set their Affections on things above and not on things below Coll. 3.1 2 Rom. 8.5.6 and that have thee Conversation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trade in heaven Phil. 3.20 how few are their who guard and watch themselves and their Souls adversaries and keep their hearts with all diligence or above before all things Pro. 4 23. how few are there who labour and make it their Trade and business to be fruitful in every good worke and dound in the work of the Lord to bear much fruit unto Eternal Life and all that God may be glorified and their own Souls profited and saved by Grace Coll. 1.10 1 Cor. 15. ult Jâ—b 15.8 Rom. 6.22 How few are there who do unfainedly minde and labour to walk sincerely and uprightly with God and before him and to adorn the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Surely very few do and are so indeed Only a little little flock do they and they only are such persons within and walk so without as hath been shewed From which Proofs and Instances we may certainly conclude that there are but a very few a small number of Regenerate persons among the multitudes of professors I have I think said enough for the confirming and clearing of this Truth although I could say much more to and of it were it needful Now then what use and Improvement should we all make of this Truth Surely it is a great Truth and
Eternal Glorification BEGUN IN REGENERATION OR A DISCOURSE OF REGENERATION Wherein is shewed 1. What Regeneration is with the causes of it 2. The necessity of Regeneration in order to Salvation 3. The Lets and Hindrances of it 4. The certain Signs and Tokens of it 5. The small number or fewness of Regenerate Persons 6. Their Priviledges and Happiness 7. Their Duties and how they ought to walk Intended for the profit of all both REGENERATE and UNREGENERATE Persons By STEPHEN FORD Preacher of the Gospel in LONDON For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature Gal. 6.15 London Printed for Nath. Crouch in Exchange Alley over against the Royal Exchange 1675. The Epistle Dedicatory To my much loved and regarded Friends the young men c. who have chosen me for your Instructor are of and continue your chearful attendance on the Lords Days Evening Lecture and to all other persons who do frequently wait on and encourage the same Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied unto you all SIRS THe great ends for which we are set and maintained in this world are 1. To get new hearts and prepare for another world that is to come 2. To live to and walk with God and serve our Generation and in and by our so doing to look for and receive from God the portion of Blessings he hath provided for and promised to bestow on us here We are all and every one of us indispensably bound to endeavour all we can to obtain and prosecute these ends because otherwise we shall all perish In this world we have our day of Grace to fit us for glory if we are wise and do faithfully improve it we shall assuredly reap the fruits of it in another world yea the earnest or first-fruits of it here You have but a little uncertain time here to run your Race in and to prepare for Eternal Life and if you neglect to do it to purpose here you will most certainly be shut out of Heaven hereafter Mat. 25 1-13 v. If you trifle in this matter and seem indifferent you are not wise but play the fool and err exceedingly as you will find to your cost at the last day if not before To prevent which and to make you truly wise sensible serious and diligent in and about your everlasting concerns I have written this little Book and do present it to your serious and faithful consideration and improvement and that in and with unfained love and cordial affection For I do assure you that I have bowels of love for you and with all my heart and soul do pray for and endeavour your Regeneration and Salvation which I hope you see and are convinced of by my constant free and unwearied labours amongst you according to my small Talent The great and holy God knows that I seek not yours but you as I hope you can all bear me witness having once and again told you that I had Dedicated my poor Labours as a Free-will Offering unto God and the service of your Souls and that I did not look for or expect any reward from you for my pains but your holy and spiritual improvement of them to the glory of God and your own Eternal Salvation The Truths here presented to your eyes to read were first you know preached to your ears to hear but knowing how treacherous and weak our memories are and how apt we are to let slip that which we hear and also fearing that the great Doctrine of Regeneration and your concernments in it might by this time be worn very much out of the minds and hearts of many of you I thought it a necessary and useful work to provide as well as I could for the reviving of it on you and fastening it in your hearts by writing and composing the sum and substance of what I preached to you which here I have done I have endeavoured to contract the whole within as narrow a compass as I could and to hold forth great Truths unto you with all possible plainness You may not expect a large Epistle from me because I want opportunity to do it at this time and therefore shall sum up all I have to say in a few words 1. I do entreat you to read and ponder well what you shall find here written and importune the Lord to give you much spiritual wisdom and understanding that you may be enabled to make a right judgment of the glorious Truths herein revealed 2. Look on the great Doctrine of Regeneration as a most weighty and important Doctrine to add for your selves as well as others that you stand in need of it and are indispensably bound to know and understand it as it is asserted and laid down in the Gospel and as written and set up in mens hearts in order to their Eternal Glorification yea and to know and experience the excellency and power of it in your own hearts 3. Apply what you read unto your selves examine and prove your own states and conditions by what you shall find in this Book search and see if the work of Regeneration be indeed wrought in your Souls and do not take up and deceive your Souls with a bare Reformation instead of real Regeneration with an external change only instead of an internal Oh! how many poor Souls are here among Great Professors who bless and speak peace to themselves and hope all is well with them that they are in Gods favour and shall certainly be saved because they have gotten some light in their heads and quiet in their minds good notions of good things and also a clean outside and form of godliness But if you have any pity for your Souls try and prove your selves to purpose until you know your conditions and take not up in any thing or attainments short of Regeneration for if you do you shall be shut out of Heaven 4. If you find upon search that the great and rare work of Regeneration is indeed wrought in your hearts and souls give glory to God and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ rejoyce and be exceeding glad for you are the blessed of the Lord you are the happy people and are sanctified and set apart for God and his holy works and ends and now you must unfainedly devote your selves and your all to him to live to and serve him with your all Now you must wholly mind how to please and honour him and to express your thankfulness in all possible hearty and filial obedience You must be wholly taken up with and imployed for God perfecting Holiness in his fear and bringing forth fruits whereby he may be glorified and you must in all your ways endeavour so to walk as to adorn the Gospel and have your good works shine in the world to the praise of God 5. You whom God hath Regenerated and given a well-grounded hope thereof put your selves under all the Ordinances of Christ and do not content your selves with some
overthrows the Devils Kingdom as the blowing of the Rams horns did fell down the walls of Jericho By this means the dead are raised to Life the blind are made to see Acts 26.18 and deaf ears are unstoped By the Gospel men are Translated out of the Kingdom of darkness into Christ's Kingdom of Light 7. God Regenerates men to and for holy and gracious ends and purposes They are created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God had before ordained that they should walk in them Eph. 2.10 That they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 That they should walk in newness of Life and not serve sin Rom. 6.4 6. God Crowns them with and makes them the subject of his special grace that they may be Agents of his glory in bringing forth fruit worthy of their new state God hath great ends in bestowing great grace and special ends in giving special grace God honours and beautifies men with his grace that they may therewith adorn his Gospel and exalt his name By Regeneration God makes men loving and lovely and meetens them for communion with himself I have I think said enough to or of the definition of Regeneration therefore shall say no more of it in this place Quest. Pray explain the great work of Regeneration more fully and shew us what those works of God on men are that do not amount to or ordinarily Issue in Regeneration that so we may clearly understand what Regeneration is not and also what it is Answ I shall first shew what t is not 2. What it is more fully First Meer light in the head is not Regeneration For men may have much Spiritual light without Spirittual Life Some are enlightened who fall away from the truth and become Apostates Heb. 6.4 5 6. and after they have known the way of Righteousness do turn from the holy commands of God to their own wicked ways 2 Pet. 2.21 22. And we read of some who knew their Lords will but did it not Luk. 12.47 which shews that they were never Regenerated Secondly Men may have many and great convictions of sin and of their miserable and wretched conditions by reason thereof they may be under much trouble of Spirit and cry out with tears and heart-grief and they may mourn and be in bitterness of Soul in the sight of their sad case and perishing state and yet all may be blown over and come to nothing but end in sin and eternal death Pharoah crys out I am wicked Exod. 9.27 and Saul saw his wickedness and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 and confessed his sin 1 Sam. 26.21 Wicked Ahab had conviction of and was greatly troubled for his sin and humbled himself 1 King 21.27 28 29. so the Israelites in the Wilderness and afterward Judas was troubled and crys I have sinned Matth. 26.3 4. yet none of them were Regenerated Thirdly Men may greatly reform their ways and look like New Creatures their Conversations may be white while their hearts are black they may have a clean outside when they are foul and abominable within they may appear beautiful to men whilest they are but whited Sepulchres and full of all manner of wickedness within Mat. 23.25 26 27 28. they may be washed and yet be still Swine 2 Pet. 2.22 and they may go for Saints amongst men whilest they are Devils within Judas was so and the Lord Jesus tells us that many go in Sheeps cloathing but are indeed Wolves Matth. 7.15 Therefore meer Reformation is not Regeneration Thou mayst forsake many sins whilest thou lovest them and perform many duties that thou lovest not but loathest Herod was a Reformer he did many good things Mark 6.20 but he was not a New Man Fourthly Thou mayst have much spiritual joy and yet be still an unregenerate man Herod heard John preach with gladness Mark 6.20 The stony-ground hearers had joy for a time in the good ways of God Mat. 13.20 Thou mayst have many tasts of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Hebr. 6.4 5. yea thou mayst have such tasts of the Heavenly Gift as to raise thy Soul to delight in drawing nigh to God in his Ordinances of Divine Worship and continue in thy unregenerate state Isa 58.2 Fifthly Thou mayst believe the truths of the Gospel and on the Lord Jesus Christ and yet be in an unregenerate state and condition Simon Magus believed when in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Act. 8.13.23 The rockie hearers did believe a while but were afterward Apostates Luk. 8.13 Christ his hearers are said to believe on him Joh. 8.30 yet in verse 44. he calls them the children of the Devil Ye are says he of your Father the Devil and his works ye will do The Hypocrites mentioned in Psal 106.12 13 14. were said to believe and so may you have Faith and believe and yet be Hypocrites still You may think you do believe aright unto Salvation when in truth you do not but delude your own Souls Sixthly Thou mayst be much in hearing and praying and yet be an unregenerate man Herod was a hearer of John Mark 6.20 Hypocrites in Ezekiel were great hearers of him and he was to them as a very lovely Song Ezek. 33.30 31 32. The three bad grounds were all hearers of the Gospel Matth. 13 18-22 but not a good hearer amongst them they were all stark naught and so mayst thou be also who art a great hearer of good men and then for praying or rather saying of prayers thou mayst pray often and long and yet be an hypocrite and an unregenerate man yea thou mayst have the gift of prayer and yet be a graceless man The Scribes and Pharisees made many and long prayers Matth. 23.14 So the hypocrites we read of in Job Chap. 27.8.10 Many make such prayers as God abhors and will not hear Isa 1.14 15. Seventhly Thou mayst be very strict and very severe in fasting and afflicting thy self and yet be an unregenerate man The Scribes and Pharisees fasted and afflicted themselves in the height of their hypocrisie Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week And wherefore have we fasted and afflicted our souls say the hypocrites in Isa 58.3 and the like they did in Babylon Zach. 7.5 6. Eighthly Thou mayst be a charitable man I mean thou mayst give much Alms to the poor and yet be an unregenerate man The Scribes and Pharisees did so Mat. 6.1 2. Luk. 18.12 Ninthly Thou mayst be a zealous man for and in Religion and yet be in an unregenerate state Paul was so before his Regeneration Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 The Jews had a zeal for God when in their blindness and hardness of heart Rom. 10.2 Thou mayst be of a warm zealous spirit even whilest thou hast a carnal unregenerate heart Tenthly Thou mayst have much Integrity and do many good things uprightly or without designed guile or fraud towards God
and men Abimelech did so with respect to Abraham and Sarah Gen. 20.5 to which God gave his testimony namely that it was so indeed verse 6. Paul while unregenerate had a great deal of Moral Integrity I have says he walked in all good Conscience before God until this day Acts 23.1 Mark it I have walked in all good Conscience before God he speaks of his carriages towards God in his unconverted state To the same purpose he speaks of himself in Acts 26.4 5 9. But when he declares his sincerity and integrity in walking before God in his Regenerate State he gives us another account of it 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity or as the Greek word reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in or with the simplicity and sincerity of God we have had our Conversation and also by says he the Grace of God to distinguish his Evangelical and gracious integrity from his moral and old sincerity or integrity he had whilest a Pharisee and in an unregenerate condition And Paul further tells us in Phil. 3.6 that concerning the Law he was blameless that is he did act and walk according to his Knowledge and Conscience These seeming Graces and good works look like Regeneration special Grace and real good works but in truth they are not so These are commonly taken for such and men conclude that they are Regenerate and in a happy condition because they find such things as these in and by themselves but assuredly such good things may be in you and done by you in your unregenerate states yea you may fear God and love God and be in many things conscientious men you may love the People of God desire their Society and wish your Souls in their condition and yet be unregenerate men you may be meek humble useful and desirable men and be taken and accepted respected and honoured by and of the best of men as good and holy men and all that while be in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity therefore it nearly concerns you to be serious and diligent in examining and trying your selves whether or no you be such as you seem to be lest you continue to seem to be what you are not and so delude men and deceive your own Souls harden your selves in a presumptious confidence and flatter your selves to everlasting destruction I could have presented you with many other things that look like Regeneration but I may speak something more of this matter when I shall characterize Regenerate persons or open Regeneration on another Head 2. But I shall now give you a fuller explication of the great work of Regeneration the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies a new or second state This is a compound word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation So Regeneration is a New Birth or as Peter expresses it a being born again 1 Pet. 1.23 The word is used in Tit. 3.5 and in Matth. 19.28 In Titus it is meant of the first Regeneration or change of state here but in Matthew it may import the state of Grace here and Glory hereafter The words in the Text and in 1 Pet. 1.23 which are rendred born again are of the same import and signifie the same thing or work of God on men and so do those expressions of begetting 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 Indeed the work of Regeneration is variously expressed and set out in Scripture by many significant and divers words and phrases to shew us that it is a great and glorious work of God on sinners to commend it the more to our consideration and acceptance to explain and make it the clearer to our understandings and to quicken and perswade us to seek after it in good earnest to esteem and value it and to move Regenerate persons to much thankfulness for it and to provoke to walk worthy of it to convince men that it is too great a work for them to do that they are beholding to Free Grace and Omnipotent Power for it and to lay them low and make them vile in their own eyes Now Regeneration is exprest and set out to us in the Gospel sometimes by renewing us Col. 3.10 Heb. 6.6 sometimes by making us partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and stamping the Image of God on us Col. 3.10 Eph. 4. sometimes 't is expressed by Gods writing his Law in our hearts Jer. 31.33 Heb. 10.16 and by circumcising hearts Deut. 30.6 sometimes by shedding abroad his love and putting his fear into them Rom. 5.5 Jer. 32.39 40. as also by quickning the dead Eph. 2.1.5 Joh. 5.21.25 sometimes by Creation or creating them in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 Col. 2.10 sometimes by putting off the old man and putting on the new Col. 2.9 10. Eph. 4.22 23 24. sometimes by translation or by translating us from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 and out of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 sometimes by opening blind eyes and turning men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 sometimes by Gods working us to will and do Phil. 2.13 and working us for this self-same thing 2 Cor. 5.5 that is preparing us for another world and sometimes by calling us by his Grace Gal. 1.6 to be Saints to holiness 1 Pet. 1.14 and to newness of life Regeneration is held forth to us by such expressions and works of God in and upon us it includes all these and several other mentioned in Scripture But I have more to say for the unfolding and clearing this great truth to you who desire to learn First Regeneration Renovation or the New Birth is made up of all and every Grace of Christ I mean the seeds and first fruits of all Grace Christ imparts and infuses a measure of all his Grace in regenerating a man he opens the Fountain and Treasury of his Grace and Fulness by the hand of the Holy Ghost he conveys it into our hearts Joh. 16.13 14. yea and the Holy Spirit himself gets into men and dwells there Rom. 8.10 as I shewed you before Q. What are the Graces of Christ that constitutes and forms the New Creature or that makes the great Change Answ First Life We are all by Nature dead in sins not only as under the Damning Sentence of the Law but we are personally dead that is as the Body is dead without the Soul and Spirit that animates the Body so without the Spirit and Grace of Christ our Souls Bodies and Spirits are spiritually dead as being without spiritual life Eph. 2.1.5 Matth. 8.22 Joh. 5.25 Now when Christ Regenerates a man he infuses and conveys of his Life into him and that enlivens the whole man Hence Christ tells us that he is the Life Joh. 14.6 that he came to give Life Joh. 10.10 that he quickens whom he will and the dead shall hear
sin against God or wrong their own Souls God hath promised to cause men to fear him not so much for his Judgments as for his Mercy and Coâ—dness Hos 3.5 and this fear he put into the Body of Regeneration without which it will be imperfect Seventhly Humility Meekness These Graces if they are two are parts of the New Creature they are the Beauty and Ornament of the New Creature without which it would not be so amiable and lovely as now it is We are by Nature exceeding proud rugged haughty sowre and pievish Creatures but God loves a meek and humble spirit and therefore he Regenerates some with Humility and Meekness and the more men have of these the more lovely they are to God and men the more conformable to Christ who was meek and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 Christ will have all his Members like himself the Body must be like the Head and Christ becoming their Head in Regeneration he bestows on them his Humility and Meekness which is a part of that fulness of Grace he hath received for his Members Meekness is one of the glorious fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and one of the Graces of Christ Jam. 4.6 By Humility and Meekness Christ prepares and capacitates men for his service and communion with himself to bow and bend them to his holy will and make them obedient unto him in all things for only the Humble and Meek are such persons and walkers Eighthly Zeal Regeneration makes men zealous against sin and for God and godliness Before Regeneration men may have a zeal for God but not the Zeal it is not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 True Gospel-zeal is a glorious Grace of Christ infused into men in Regeneration and that in pursuance of one of the great ends of Christ his death Tit. 2.14 He gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works Before men are Regenerated they are zealous for their own gain honour pleasure and superstition but Regeneration makes them zealous for God with the Zeal of God As soon as Paul was converted he shewed himself a true and great Zealot indeed for Christ Grace Holiness and the Souls of men It is holy Gospel-zeal that makes men active for God and puts them forward to follow their Light Light in the Head without Zeal in the Heart may fill men with notions of duty but never make them Practitioners of duty they may know the Will of God but they will not they cannot be perswaded to do it 't is true that Zeal without knowledge is not good and as true that knowledge without zeal is unprofitable Christ hath a fulness of zeal for men and in Regeneration he imparts it to them Ninthly Prayer In Regeneration Christ infuses the Grace and Spirit of Prayer as soon as Paul was Regenerated behold he prayeth Acts 9.11 He had often prayed before for he was a zealous Pharisee and concerning the Law he was blameless Phil. 3.6 but he never prayed aright until he was Regenerated for then Christ gave him the grace of Prayer he could then pray with Grace in his heart and then not till then behold he prayeth There are none can pray spiritually but New Creatures for the voice of Nature is the voice of the flesh and what is of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 and that voice God is not pleased with and heareth not but it is the voice of the New Creature which is formed and made up of the Grace and Spirit of Christ that God heareth and delighteth in Pro. 15.8 Therefore God promiseth to give unto men in Regeneration the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. 12.10 that they may thereby be enabled to pray unto God holily and acceptably 1 Pet. 2.5 Rom. 8.26 27. God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. and therefore he spirits them in Regeneration so to do Men may speak great and good words and make plausible and seemingly good prayers from light in their heads and other common spiritual gifts without Regeneration but they are but fleshly cold dead and loathsome prayers because they proceed not from a Divine Root and Spring they are dead their hearts are dead and therefore their prayers must needs be dead prayers which the Living God abhors Isa 1. But now Regeneration opens their hearts and tongues enlivens and quickens them puts a heavenly Principle into them so that now they can speak to God with new tongues and hearts now they can pray in Faith and Hope with spiritual and lively affections and in obedience to the Will of God Tenthly Self-denial Men are by Nature altogether selfish they are wholly devoted to the service of the flesh and set upon fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Eph. 2.3 Rom. 8.5 Phil. 3.19 But God lays in Self-denying grace on their hearts in Regeneration so that now they can deny themselves of their ease pleasures profits opinions relations peace and all their once beloved Interests whatsoever for God Holiness Truth and the welfare of their own Souls They can and that upon choice displease themselves to please God they can willingly be nothing that Christ may be all in all things Col. 3.11 yea they would be the Footstool of Christ to exalt him and set him on the Throne Regeneration makes them account their all too little for him as before they accounted a little too much for Christ This is the great term on which we receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 Luk. 9.23 and by Regeneration he gives them power and will to do it Psal 110.3 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 6.44 45. This Regeneration wrought in Paul Gal. 1.16 I consulted not with flesh and blood says he that is as soon as he was Regenerated Christ sent him to preach the Faith which before he had zealously destroyed vers 23. and that amongst the barbarous Heathens where was much danger and in the doing of which he should meet with many difficulties as he did yet he immediately yielded up himself to the Will of Christ and laid his own in the dust So when Christ called Peter and Andrew they straightway left all and followed him Matth. 4.18 19 20. and after ward Matthew did the like he presently left his gainful Trade at the Custom-House and followed Christ Matth. 9.9 So the Disciples tell Christ Luke 18. that they had left all and followed him and the grace of Self-denial is given to all Regenerate persons in the very moment of their Regeneration Eleventhly Sincerity This is the general grace or that which is the Salt that seasons and makes as it were all other grace good and singular Gospel-sincerity is the holy spiritual Leven that runs through the whole Lump or Body of the graces of Christ given in Regeneration it is not properly one single grace but it is rather the grace of all other graces 't is that which makes
the specifical difference between common and peculiar grace that makes a man to be what he seems to be it makes and really qualifies a man a truly godly and gracious man it makes the heart face and tongue of a man the same towards God and men it makes a man entire and wholly for God Christ and Holiness according to his holy profession it brings up and musters all graces sets them in their places and directs them all unto God in duties and to those holy ends for which he hath appointed them to be performed Gospel-sincerity is a special gift of God bestowed on men in Regeneration 2 Cor. 1.12 that in the simplicity and sincerity of God we have had our Conversation among you says Paul and he tells the Colosians that they had heard and known the Grace of God in truth Col. 1.6 Gospel-sincerity hath all grace in the Womb of it by it the Holy Ghost makes men a peculiar people unto God qualifies and fits them for all spiritual and holy imployments and Religious Exercises for acceptance and Communion with God This is it that makes men lovely and desirable to God and man that makes them true and faithful to God that draws forth and ingages their hearts to God and causes them to yield up their wills to the Will of God Without Gospel-sincerity men are but whited Sepulchres and like the Apples of Sodom beautiful without but rotten and abominable within Mens Religion I mean their profession of it without Gospel-sincerity is vain and unsavoury Gospel-sincerity is that which makes us like God Jer. 22.41 and that which spiritualizes and persumes all our duties All our duties must be done and profession of godliness made in Gospel-sincerity or God will abhor both us and them Joshua 24.14 Heb. 10.22 Joh. 4.23 24. Isai 1. Therefore that God may have some to serve him in Spirit and Truth he Regenerates them and makes them New Creatures by putting his own Nature and stamping his own Image into and upon them and so they are made holy and sincere in measure like unto himself This is another glorious part of Regeneration These are some and but some of the graces of Christ that makes forms and constitutes the Heavenly Babe the New Creature There are many other graces of Christ given to men in their Regeneration to make a compleat New Creature as Joy Temperance Patience and several other which I shall not now insist on nor mention because I have many other Truths to open to you on this Subject Let me then advise you who think you are Regenerated to examine and try your selves if you can find indeed these graces of Christ in you and if you you can and do find them in you really you may be sure that all other graces that have not been mentioned are in you and that you are in a state of Regeneration but if there be none of these graces in you then you are in an unregenerate state and condition Q. What have you further to say and declare of Regeneration Answ I say that the Holy Ghost gets into a man when he Regenerates him and brings in all the Graces of Christ with him Joh. 16.7 8 13 14. as was shewed before Rom 8.9 10 11. And Christ is said to be in Regenerate men by his Spirit and graces 2 Cor. 5.17 and by regenerating them he works in them new principles habits dispositions and ends and he sets up in their hearts and souls new Laws namely his own to direct and guide them to rule and order them All things are become new in him and to him that is Regenerated 2 Cor. 5.17 1 There are new that is divine and heavenly Principles in him there is Divine Light to see withal and New Life to walk withal in the ways of God there is Love to move and incline his heart to his duty Life to quicken and Light to direct and guide him so that his duties proceed from his new Principles of Light Life Faith and Love All things are become new in him 2 New Habits His new Principles are become fixed stated habits in his Soul he doth not move and act in the things of God by Forreign causes and external motives only as he did before Regeneration but he acts and brings forth fruit from a stock of grace in his heart In Matth. 12.35 Christ tells us that a good man out of the good tâ—easure of the heart bringeth forth good things that is from a gracious fixed habit His good works do naturally flow from him he is fixed and resolved at all times to do and comply with the Will of God in all states and conditâ—ons whatsoever not only when he hears or feels some stirring word or provoking judgment to quicken and irritate him but also at other times when none of these things do occur Thus we find David and Paul Psal 57.7 Psal 119. Acts 20.24 Acts 2. All things are new 3 New dispositions Regeneration disposes us to every good word and work it is an habitual disposition though it be sometimes stronger sometimes weaker yet they do genuinely mind and will God their duty and eternal happiness Rom. 7.18 For to will says he is present with â—ne but how to do it he knew not And the same Apostle shews us that 't is so with all good men Gal. 5.17 and they are said to be spiritually minded Rom. 8.5 6. that is the bent inclination desire and intention of their hearts were so Thus Regenerate men are said to be ready to every good work Acts 17.11 Tit. 3 1. 2 Cor. 8.11 Rom. 1.15 Regeneration disposes them to pray in secret Acts 9.11 to hear and learn the Will of God Acts 17.11 so to be delivered from all sin Rom. 7.24 to perfect holiness Phil. 3.13 14. and as these so all other things and duties whatsoever It is true that the carnal spirit in Regenerate persons doth greatly oppose and draw them backward but yet that hinders not their holy dispositions and inclinations but they will breathe and operate in them with a notwithstanding as good men do experience And indeed this is one of Gods great and holy ends in regenerating men namely to move and incline their hearts unto himself and his holy will that they may move will aed act freely by his Life and Power within them that their habitual inclinations and dispositions may be suited to his will and the things above and that his external motives may sweetly and freely draw and not force and drive them to himself and their duty Hence the Spouse prays Christ to draw her and she will run after him Cant. 1.4 shewing thereby which way she was disposed and bent 4 New ends and designs All things are become new with regenerate persons and therefore needs they must have new ends and designs in their eyes and hearts in their wills understandings judgments minds and affections as their ends and designs in things before Regeneration were base low and sordid so now
Ministers on Earth cannot pull down this strong hold and it is as great an Adversary as any Christ hath in the world to obstruct his Grace it is the Great Goliah that stands in open defiance against Christ and makes the stoutest resistance against our Regeneration Again our Self-righteousness is an other great obstacle and Bull-work against our Regeneration Men have long been building up that which God will and must pull down in regenerating us God will not suffer our own Babels to stand when he comes to set up Zion in our hearts neither will he let Dagon alone when he comes to set up his Ark in us All our works conceits and imaginations are but Rubbish and Dirt that must be thrown away and cast out to make way for his building and therefore God begins here namely to overturn demolish and remove out his way the strong Towers and Fortresses of our own high thoughts conceits works and vain imaginations that so we being left destitute of succour and grounds of hope in our selves we may freely comply and joyn Issues with God in his works of Grace in us But now when God comes to do this O what strong resistance and violent opposition doth our Self-righteousness and good conceits of our selves make against God and the works of his Grace God would undo us that he may make us he would pull us down and quite deface our own Structures that he may build and set up his own in us Buch such are our conceits and apprehensions of our sufficiency goodness righteousness acceptable and worthy performances as that we harden our hearts against all Convictions of the invalidity and nothingness yea vanity and sinfulness of them and are exceedingly averse to and unwilling of any alteration cannot endure to think of losing all that we have wrought for so many years and after so much labour and confidence peace and satisfaction in our states and what we have done to lose all at once and be beholding at last only to the free gift of another flesh and blood will never endure it and therefore makes all possible opposition against it Men have been long rich and happy in their own eyes and therefore cannot bear to be undone and impoverished to be poor and miserable wretched and naked And hence it is that they shut their eyes and stop their ears against Light and Gods gracious Invitations They will have none of him because they fancy they have enough and do and may do enough of their own to make them happy This was the case of some of the Laodiceans Rev. 3.17 they thought themselves rich and had need of nothing and that when they were wretched naked and miserable Thus it was with Paul before he was Regenerated Phil. 3.4 5 6 7. And this was one of the great obstructions that hindred the Jews from receiving the Grace of Christ tendred them by Christ and his Apostles John 8 and 9 Chapters And in Luke 18.9 10 11 12. their self-conceited righteousness and light their priviledges and good works made them such desperate resolute violent and stout opposers of the Grace of God and thus is still the nature and effect of it in all the Sons and Daughters of men as sad experience shews And as Self-righteousness and a good Opinion of our selves is a strong Bar to fence us against Gods Regenerating work so are vain and groundless hopes likewise These oppositions and contradictions do all hang together in a string as so many Links in a Chain where one is all are but one may be stronger in one man and another in another man Men are by Nature exceeding full of presumptious hopes and confidences they seign that God will save them because he is good and merciful to sinners although they continue in their filthiness and practical abominations in their blindness and unregenerate states The Conceptions of Gods Mercies proves snares and dangerous Rocks to unregenerate men while they confidently conclude that God will have mercy on and save them because he is merciful though they live and die in their unregenerate states and condition although the Word of God tell them the contrary Isa 27.11 This is the vain hope of hypocrites mentioned in Job 8.13 14. which shall perish with them Presumptious confidences and vain hopes are natural to us and we will take hold of any broken Reed to keep us from despondency or making a right judgment of our selves states and ways rather than yield to the counsels of God and suffer him to save us in his own way and by his own means This vain presumptious hope is that which arms and strengthens the Soul against Christ and lies in a direct opposition to our Regeneration Again Hardness of heart is a great Bar to Regeneration We are by Nature hardened in sin and in fond conceits of our good conditions and therefore the work of Regeneration in us must needs be very hard and difficult work We are so hardened by sin and we harden our selves more and more when God hands out Light to us to see our states and lead us to himself When God comes to Regenerate then we are most insensible of our conditions and harden our hearts most against him even then when he would soften and melt us break and humble us we were hard and knotty pieces before but then we make our selves much harder for then we do purposely and designedly set our selves against God and his workings and as water strives with greater vehemency against opposition so do our hard hearts against the Spirits operations in us to renew and change us Ezek. 3.7 Pharoah was a hard-hearted man before God sent Moses and Aaron to him but then he set himself to harden his heart against God and his Word more than ever So when God sent the means of Grace to the Jews and strove with them to bring them to himself the more he wrestled with them exhorted and perswaded them to receive his Grace and become New Creatures the more they strove and fought against him Acts 19. Acts 28. until God judicially hardened them also and then they were sealed up as it were to the day of wrath Joh. 12.40 Then 't is ever after a hard and impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 Lastly Enmity There is in every natural man most stout and strong Enmity against God which is implacable and irreconcileable There can no peace or friendship be had with an implacable Enemy and a man that is at real Enmity with us until he be changed The Carnal mind is not only an Enemy to God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emnity against God Rom. 8.7 And in Rom. 1.31 they are said to be implacable Enmity will never be won and made to yield either by fair or foul means but such is the nature of it as that it will rather die on the place than conform to any tolerable terms of friendship with an Adversary But the Enmity of our Natures is most stout stubborn and desperate
against God for 't is possible for a man to perswade him that is at Enmity with him to some reasonable terms of accommodation by his great condescention and bowing to him by sweet and affable carriages by the entreaty and perswasion of Friends and by proffering to serve him and give him all he hath But it is not so between men and God for although God condescends and as it were bows down to us and that infinitely more than men can do though he carry himself most sweetly and affably to us proffers friendship and reconciliation to us entreats and perswades us by his Ministers promises and proffers to wait on us protect and guard us yea give all he hath to inrich us honour and exalt us with all his Sons Fulness and possess us of all his Heavenly Treasures if we will yield and be reconciled to him But all these endeavours are in vain none of them will work on Enmity to perswade and bow it to the Will and Designs of God yea these means are all contemned and are improved to heighten and strengthen the Enmity by us Enmity causes men to bid defiance to such Acts and Overtures of God for the winning and bringing us over to himself they make us more obstinate implacable and irreconcileable The Jews give us a sufficient proof of this Truth as well as what is daily found amongst us For who shews greater Enmity against Christ his Grace and Gospel than such to whom he daily holds forth the Golden Scepter of his Mercy and beseeches to be reconciled to him These are some of the stout Enemies of our Regeneration which are bred in our own Bosoms and strongly arm and fortifie our Souls against Christ These are some of the Goliah's that rebel against the Authority and Commands of God and that hold fast the Castles of our hearts and keep them shut against him when he comes to assault and subdue them and so makes our Regeneration very hard and difficult I could have instanced in several other internal oppositions but time would fail me Secondly Without and within us too The Devil is an external and internal Adversary to the work of Regeneration he is an implacable and active Enemy to and against our New State for he hates Christ and his Grace in men and cannot endure to see a holy Job or gracious Paul in the world and therefore endeavours to make and keep all men like himself and leaves no means unattempted to effect it but goes about night and day seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 There is an Everlasting Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. and much more between the Devil and Grace And as the Devil hates Christ and his Grace in men so likewise the happy and blessed state that the Grace of Regeneration puts them into He knows that he is a most miserable Creature himself being condemned and put into Chains of darkness to everlasting fire Jude 6. Matth. 25.41 And therefore he greatly envies and malignes the happiness of good men It cuts him to the heart to see any of the Sons of Adam restored to a state of Blessedness to see the Grace of God in them and they in Friendship with God For no sooner had God made man in his own Image Gen. 1.26 27. set them in Paradise and given them a positive Law to obey but by and by he sets on them to debauch and spoil them and uses all possible subtilty and diligence to effect it Gen. 3. which succeeded according to his mind for a time So when he saw Job walk uprightly and in high favour with God how does he labour to corrupt him and turn him from his integrity in the first and second Chapter of Job And as the Devil envies the happiness of good men and therefore labours to hinder their Regeneration so likewise his loathness to loose his Subjects The Devil is the God and Lord of the World 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2.2 and hath many willing and obedient Subjects Rom. 6. We are all by Nature the Devils Subjects and Servants he hath the first possession of and service from us and when God Regenerates a man he takes him out of the Devils Kingdom and calls him out of his subjection and service and puts him into his Kingdom and service Col. 1.13 Rom. 6. Now this is so grievous to him as that he cannot quietly bear it but doth all he can to hinder and obstruct it and that by all possible ways and means He is in possession and rules in the hearts Luk. 11.20 21 22. and will not 〈◊〉 his Subjects go until a stronger than he foâ—ces him to yield but as Pharaoh a shadâ—â— of the Devil would not let Israel go out 〈◊〉 his Kingdom to serve God so will not thâ— Devil let mens Souls go to serve Christ unâ—â— he brings them out with a strong hand 〈◊〉 so Christ gets all his Subjects out of Satâ—â— hand and puts them into his own Kingdoâ— In Regeneration Christ leads Captivity captiâ—â— Eph. 4.8 takes the Spoil out of his hanâ— and breaks his Jaws Job 29.17 Christ binds 〈◊〉 strong man or Devil and takes away his goodâ— he turns the Devil out of office and out 〈◊〉 the possession of their hearts and enters 〈◊〉 himself takes on him the Rule and Government of them and makes them his willâ— and obedient Subjects translates them iâ— his Kingdom and that by their own voluâ—tary Resignation of themselves to him Noâ— this the Devil cannot but greatly oppose aâ— fight against and will never yield nor submit but when the Lord Jesus comes to 〈◊〉 his own which he hath bought with his blâ—â— 1 Cor. 6.19 and begins to awaken and euven them O how does the Devil rage 〈◊〉 storm fight and oppose to keep his Subject in subjection to him O how does he drâ— up all his Forces and make Head again Christ to keep men out of his hand sometimes by flatteries and sometimes by threâ— nings Now he labours to hold them faâ— by perswading them that they are in peaâ—â— and in a good condition that they are under delusions and sinister mistakes that if they continue as they are they shall have peace and need not doubt of their Salvation and that those troubles they are under are of the Devil and their own miss-judging of their states He flatters and perswades them to mind their pleasures and profits and not trouble or concern themselves about Religion for that will but distract and perplex them and no way advantage them He tells them that in their present state they may have their hearts desire but so they shall not have in the singular and melancholly ways of Religion which now they begin to concern themselves withal and that if they once ingage themselves in those matters they shall never find any good or satisfaction in them comparable to that which they must forgo and part withal and which hitherto they have
said to be Deaf Psal 58.4 Isa 42.18 19. although they had not lost their natural Sense of hearing yet the Scripture saith they were Deaf why because they had not Spiritual Ears to hear hence the Lord Jesus speaking to the Asian Churches bids such as had Eares to hear what the Spirit spake unto them Revel 2. and 3. Chapters Clearly implying that there were some among them that had not this Spiritual Sense of hearing the Voice of the holy Spirit but that there were others that had it And the Prophet tells the Jews that there were some that had Eares but were Deaf Isa 43.8 that is they had the natural but not the Spiritual sense of hearing the voice of God by his Prophets This Spiritual hearing sense imports not onely a hearing and taking in the words or matters they hear but also understanding them and receiving them into the understanding will and affection Ezek. 40.3.4 2 Thes 2.10 Pro. 7.1 Pro. 10 14. They are ready and swift to hear Jam. 1.19.21 Let Christ speak to them what he will they can and will hear him Speak Lord for thy servant heares 1 Sam. 3.2 is the language of his heart and Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9. doth God or good men instruct admonish exhort reprove charge rebuke them their Eares and hearts are open and ready to hear and receive it to love and understand it to keep and practice it or to improve all to the will of God Regenerate Persons are the good ground hearers Luk. 8.15 Math. 13. They have Eares to hear hearts to receive and understand what is revealed to them yea to keep and hold it fast convert the word into profit and turn all into the practice of Godlyness They and they only have learnt the mystery and Spiritual Art of hearing They are the only Wise Serious Humble Diligent Circumspect Careful Reverend Watchful Sincere Profitable and good Hearers They are taught to please and honour God better and advantage their own Souls in and by hearing They are the Persons and none but they who hear in hearing who do truely and faithfully endeavour to hear Christ in hearing of men and to hear that voice behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it which is promised in Isa 30.20.21 They are the men who do indeed make blessed earnings of hearing and who do unfainedly intend design and carry on right high and holy ends in hearing namely to know Christ his Will Grace Spirit Benefits Covenant and Promises to know themselves their Sins Deceits and Errors their increase or decrease in Grace and practical Godliness and to know how they ought to believe and carry themselves towards God and men in all conditions States and Relations better more clearly and Spiritually that so they may walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing and be fruitful in every good work adorn the Gospel of Christ and beautify their holy profession These are the men who hear that they may be cleansed and washed that they may be quickened to and strengthened in their duty and that their lusts may be destroyed by the word of Grace Joh. 15.3 Joh. 17.17 Eph. 5.25.26 2 Cor. 10.4.5 And that they may as in the Lords own way and appointment meet with Christ and Christ with them to express their dependance on and subjection to him and that they may be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 This is the hearing Ear and understanding heart that is rarely to be found in the world Fifthly Smelling In the natural body there is the Sense of Smelling so there is in the new Creature also Christ is full of sweet smells and Savours fitted and suited to a believers new sense and Christ hath provided for and given them a sense capable of receiveing and resenting it which adds much to their strength and Comfort and renders the Lord Jesus more sweet lovely and acceptable to them For the more senses they have to draw and take in of Christs Person Grace and lovelyness to themselves the more they get from Christ and the more pleasing and desirable he must needs be to them had the patural man only two or three senses to apprehend and take in objects and the good of them his life would not be so comfortable because as then many of the Creatures would be vain and useless to him so he would live without the use and comfort of them that are suited to the senses he wants and which he cannot receive nor take comfort and delight in without them And men are naturally best pleased and most satisfyed with variety of objects and matters It is much more so in Spiritual and heavenly matters and things Spiritual men love and delight much in heavenly varieties and therefore to delight and satisfy them to endear their Souls to Christ and incourage them in their Duty to him he hath given them many senses or subjects capable of apprehending and taking in variety of heavenly matters and things and that is not all but he hath also graciously provided all suitable varieties for them and presents them freely to their acceptance Thus Christ is to them a sweet smelling Savour Eph. 5.2 his death was so to God and his Person Graces and Benefits are so to them Cant. 5.13.2.13 Their Persons love and obedience are a sweet smelling savour to Christ Cant. 4.10.11 And so is Christ unto them Cant. 1.3 and it is powerful to excite and draw forth their strongest and dearest love to Christ Because of the savour of this good Oyntments therefore do the Virgins love thee And as it excites and draws forth their love to Christ so it gladdens and refreshes the hearts of new Creatures Psal 45.8 All thy Garments smell of Myrth c. whereby they have made thee glad Thus I have briefly run over and presented you a few considerations of the New Creature his spiritual senses what they are and of their nature work use and end to help you to make a true Judgment of your selves whether you are new Creatures indeed or only in name and pretence And be assured of this that if thou art indeed a Regenerate person thou mayest in some degree especially at sometimes find these spiritual senses in thee And if thou canst find them in any degree in thee thou mayest conclude that thou art a Child of God and really Regenerate For it is certain that unregenerate persons have them not in them but are real strangers if not Enemies to them and such as regard them not neither do they find them in any degree or measure in themselves they are in an unregenerate state and condition And that they have not these senses is evident for they are dead blind hard and wholly carnal as hath been shewed already And so much of the first Mark or Character of a new Creature I shall briefly dispatch the rest and then proceed to other heads propounded Secondly If thou art a new Creature indeed thou
and onely necessary things that God requires in them But good men cry watch and pray and do all they can to worship God in Spirit and Truth from their new Natures Root and spring within and the holy Ghost his assistance and without this they cannot be satisfied This is the mark they have in their Eye in all their addresses to God 6 Trusting in and liveing on Christ This is a special and peculiar work and duty which none can do but new Creatures But it is their work and business 2 Cor. 5.7 Heb. 10 38. Râ—â— 1.17 It is a duty that lies with power in their hearts and 't is of great account in their Souls They are commanded to live by faith and make God their onely Trust and in obedience thereunto they do it Isa 26.4 Psal 37.3.5 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal 62.8 They are called to live the life of faith and pure dependance on God for all things and they are furnished with abilities so to do The faith of Christ is written in their hearts and they have a kind of a natural Genious and disposition to it Thus we find Abraham David Paul and other Saints of God had and did It is a Liâ—â— far above and beyond the reach of nature and natural Reason and God works some to and for it by his Grace in Regeneration and presents unto them suitable grounds and objects for their faith to rest and live upon as his bonds or promises his covenant and oath his truth and faithfulness and his all sufficiency and immutability God presents to them his Sâ—â—s blood Death and Resurrection his natures and offices his intercession and potency with God to prevaile for them in Heaven and procure mercies for them and the fulness of Christ as furnished and filled with all Grace for them And upon these grounds and objects they reâ—â— and bear themselves There they fly for Refuge Pro. 18.10 and there and on them they live and wait for all supplies of Grace Phill. 4.19 And that when the Figtree doth 〈◊〉 blossome nor any herds are in the stall Habuck 3.17 18 19. For what ever God hath promised to his people they claim a share in and can trust him to give it to them in his own time and way To instance in some particulars 1 God hath promised to pardon them Isa 55. â— they can and do believe him and rest upon his for it 2 Hath God promised to give Repeâ—tance they can believe and trust him 3 To heal their Back-slidings and love them freely Hoseâ— 14.4 They can believe and trust him 4 To pour out more of the spirit and abundance 〈◊〉 grace Acts. 2. Joh. 10. they can trust him 〈◊〉 Hath God promised to give grace and â—â—y and to supply all their wants Psal 84.11 â—â—on 4.8 and never to leave them nor forsake 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 they can and do believe and â—â—st him 6 Hath God promised to subdue 〈◊〉 Lusts and sanctify their hearts Ezek. 36.25 〈◊〉 Micah 7.18.19 they can and do believe aâ—d trust him 7 Hath God promised to hear â—eir prayers Psal 50.15 Help their infirmitites 〈◊〉 8.26 Accept their offerings Isa 56.7 â—eward their Services 2 Cron. 15.7 and to â—â—ep them by his power through faith unto salvatiâ—â— 1 Pet 1.5 they can and do believe and trust him upon his word They do commit â—eir all to and leave their all with him and are â—â—isfied in their so doing They believe all is â—afe and sure that is entrusted in his hand and glad they are that they have themselves and their all in his custody It is true they have â—heir fits of unbelief and do too often distrust God and in measure let go their Anchor hold but they recover themselves and what they â—ave lost again when the Tempest is over and they are in a Calm It is one of their great works and employments notwithstanding to trust God and live the life of faith and that upon choice and with their whole desire and in the general course of their Lives they are enabled by Grace to reach and live it whateâ—er oppositions are in their way Therefore it is that they are called Believers and Trusters of God by the holy Ghost in Scripture namely because it is their proper Life to which they are called in Regeneration and that which they do choose and endeavour to Live But unregenerate persons do not live this Life at all They have no acquaintance with it neither know they what it means experimentally but onely upon hear-say they are not regenerated and therefore are still in a state of unbelief and impenitency They have no living faith at all neither do they heartily desire it They are called unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 15. Revel 21.8 because they have no special faith to trust God withal and do not live the Life of faith 7 They are called to regenerated for and exercised about all sorts of holy duties and heavenly things They live in Heaven and Trade in Heaven Revel 13 6. Phil. 3 20. In a word their business is to acquaint themselves with their Fathers and Husbands Laws and their dâ—ties and to love and obey them with their promises and the good of them that they may believe them and hope upon them and to suck out the hony and sweetness of them for their consolation and peace and to encourage them in their duty and walking with God and they acquaint themselves with their God and Saviour and the great things of another world These are their good things and they allure and draw their minds and affections to them In them and the contemplation of them do they delight They feel taste and see the Goodness of them and are greatly enamored with them They have their hearts and that causes them so much to converse with them and Trade in them and with them They know it is their duty to live and converse with them because God hath so commanded Coll. 3.1.2.3 and they do it in obedience thereunto But that is not all the Reason of their so doing no but they do it because these things and matters are their Spiritual and everlasting Treasures In them lies all their durable riches honour comfort and happiness They are sweet to their tast and pleasant to the eye and they are the onely Good and Portion of their souls Math. 6.21 Coll. 2.3 They have nothing else to trust to nor any thing besides that can satisfy the wants and craving desires of their Souls For these ends and purposes are they born again and set here in this world and for these ends and purposes are they kept and maintained their hearts have chosen all they love all and their desires and endeavours to go out after to reach them all About them their minds judgments understandings consciences wills affections and their all are busied and imployed and that as in and about their own proper and constant work and business But other men do wholly mind work and imploy themselves in other
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
you to Sing for joy of heart when others shall howl for vexation of Spirit Isa 65.13 14. This is also one of your Husbands Legacies which he bequearned to you in his last Will and Testament and therefore you may look for and confidently expect it of him John 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Joy may remain in you and that your Joy might be full so in John 16.20 But your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy And your hearts shall rejoyce and your Joy no man shall take from you vers 22. And in verse 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Joy may be full For this end he hath promised and bequeathed not only the Consolations and Joys of the Spirit but the abiding presence of the Spirit himself who is to convey and impart them unto his people Joh. 14 16 17. And calls him therefore the Comforter as in that Text so in John 14.26 and in the 15. Chapt. 26. and in the 16. Chapt. 7. 8. You have promises of being taught of God and of being made wise unto Salvation You are already renewed in knowledge Col. 3.10 and now you shall be tutored up by Christ your Prophet so that you shall be still encreasing in the knowledge of God Christ Duty and heavenly things John 7.17 Eph. 4.15 1 Cor. 2.12 Isa 54.13 Psal 84.7 John 6.45 Men teach by Gods Appointment and it is his Ordinance for ever which all men are bound to attend unto and wait on as it is the Ordinance of God to them for Good in and by which God will teach men Math. 28.19 20. Eph. 4.11 17. and God teaches also God teaches and reaches the heart with his teaching but so cannot mens teaching do of themselves God teaches men powerfully convincingly and effectually and they only are made truly wise whom God teaches by his Spirit Now this is one of your Priviledges that you are the willing Scholars of Jesus Christ You have chosen him for your Prophet and Teacher and he hath chosen and accepted you for his Schollars and it is your desire to be taught of him all the things that do concern his Glory and your duty and happiness You have him engaged to you to teach you and cause you to grow in grace and in the knowledge of all things you are to know and you may and ought to believe that he will do it To make use of him apply your selves unto him rely on and expect it of him 9. You have promises of a sanctifyed use of all his dispensations towards you and that all things shall worke together for your good Your afflictions and chastisements shall not hurt but better you not spoyl but make you God shoots not his Arrows at rovers neither doth he lay his Corrisives beside your soars or apply an improper or ineffectual Medicine to your wounds He is an alseeing and alsufficient Phisitian and thorrowly discerns you maladies and what doth aile you and he can give you suitable Playsters and Physick for your distempers Psal 103.13.14 And what he can that he will in this matter do for you For your profit and care your health prosperity and salvation are the things that are in his Eye and heart All things shall work together for your good for you are his called ones and such as he loves and you are such as love him Rom. 8.28 doth your Father and Lord chastize you and make you smart why the fruit of all is to humble you to take a way Sin which you are willing to part withal and to make you partakers of his holyness and the like blessed and gracious ends and disigns are in his Eye and heart Duter 8.15.16 Isa 27.7.8.9 Heb. 12.10.11 10. You have promises of eternal Life and everlasting Blessedness with God in Heaven You have promises of an Incorruptible Inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 to which you are begotten and born You have promises of a Crown of Life Revel 2.10 Jam. 1.12 Of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 And of Glory 1 Pet. 5.4 You have promises of Living and Reigning with Christ and of being and abiding where he is and with him Revel 20. Rev. 5.10 Joh. 17. And of seeing him as he is 1 Job 3.2 You have promises of Christ his coming in Glorious state to fetch you home to his Kingdome and Palace of Holiness Glory and Joy of Honour Dignity and Renown Math. 25.32.33 Rev. 19. 1 Thes 4.16.17 Joh. 14.3 You have an Eternal weight of Glory laid up in Heaven for you and Christ is bound to secure it for and give it to you You have a blessed Hope and great Glory laid up for you and the Lord Jesus hath engaged himself to put you into the possession of all in his time It is as sure as if you had the whole already in your own hands and you must believe and expect it for neither height nor depth nor any thing shall prevent or disappoint you of it All the great things promised you are yours they are your own They are all yours by an everlasting grant of God the Father and by the purchase of Christ I mean they are the Price of his Blood and the fruits of the travail of his Soul And therefore look for them and live in continual expectation of them as of certain things These are a few of the many great and Heavenly things that are promised to you who are new Creatures or Regenerate Persons I know that I have mentioned several of them before and there promised to speak more fully of them on this head 6. You are the great objects of Gods love delight and complacency Your union with Christ Relation to him and the Divine nature on you makes you most beautiful aimable and lovely in the sight of God and he loves you with an exceeding great singular and special love It is his own loveliness that makes you lovely in his eies You have none at all of your own to commend you to his love and acceptance God saith of and to you I have loved you with an everlasting love Jer. 13.3 And therefore with loveing kindness have I drawn thee namely to accept of my Son and become new Creatures And in Eph. 2.4 The Apostle tells us that God loves his quickned or Regenerate Creatures with a great love and tells us 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.18 19. That there are Heights Depth◠Lengths and Breadths in the love of Christ t◠them yea that it is so great as that it passe◠all understanding not of Christs understanding 〈◊〉 but ours and Angels When God would express his love to Regenerate men in the mo◠Emphatical way that we are capable of conceiving or apprehending it he words it 〈◊〉 indiffinite Termes As God so loved the World namely the little World of new Creatures God so loved them Joh. 3.16 That is he greatly unexpressibly and unconceivably loved and loves them The Apostle John expresses it thus 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon
with our Goâ—â— and Father You shall forever be fed at youâ— Fathers and eat at his Table with him 〈◊〉 he will make all sorts of Spiritual provisiâ—â— for you because you are his adopted Châ—â—dren and in his house You shall for ever 〈◊〉 upon no worser fare than the Bread of 〈◊〉 that came down from heaven Joh. 6. And yâ—â— â—â—all for ever Drink of the Rivers of his pleasures â—â—ely of the Fountain of Life Psal 36.8 and 〈◊〉 shall never want You are in an adopted â—â—â—e and may expect all provisions from him 〈◊〉 hath Adopted you for he will not deny you any good thing nor fail to make ready for 〈◊〉 your daily bread Therefore look on 〈◊〉 great dignity and Priviledge of yours apply it to your selves suck out all the marâ—ow and sweetness of it and comfort your selves with it to the enabling and encouraging you in your Wilderness Journy work aâ—d condition You know it so amongst men â—â—th respect to worldly Inheritances Such as are entayled or entitled to them will often think on them and comforting themselves in â—ope of possessing and enjoying the good of â—â—em after a few years Why do you so â—uch more For your Inheritance to which you are Adopted is a much more glorious certain and rich Inheritance than any worldly one can be and it is an Incorruptible and â—ternal Inheritance that you are entituled to The Lord Jesus the Elder Brother and Heir is gone to take possession of your Inheritances for you who are Regenerated and made by Adoption fellow Heirs of Salvation 8. Vnion and Communion You are Vnited to Christ and made one Body with him or you are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his â—â—es Eph. 5.30 as you heard before and therefore shall not insist on it here This Union is exprest and set forth unto us by many things As by natural Vnions that are between the Head and Members in the Natural Body Eph. 5.23 Eph. 1.22 23. Eph. 4.15 by the natural union and oneness that is between the Vine and Branches Joh. 15.1 2 4 5. so also between Voluntary and Conjugal Relations as Husband and Wife Eph. 5. Friends and Friends John 15. Now from this Union flows Communion of Persons and Estates What the Lord Jesus hath is theirs and whatever they have is Christs Christ is theirs and all his fulness and Riches theirs he can withhold 〈◊〉 good thing from them neither doth he account any thing he hath to be so his own but that they have a kind of propriety and Interest in it and may claim it of him What he hath received of his Father it was for them he deposited all their stock and Portion in his hand that he might impart and communicate it 〈◊〉 them which he doth and will do and thâ—â— most faithfully carefully wisely and seasonbly For this end he gives them free and 〈◊〉 access to him and invites them not to be straâ—gers to him but come and apply themselveâ— freely and constantly to him and ask of 〈◊〉 what they will John 14.13 14. John 15. â— John 16. All which he holds forth to theâ— in and by the hand of Promises Ask what yâ— will and it shall be done to you John 15.7 Joâ—â— 16.24 In like manner Regenerate Men 〈◊〉 open hearted to Christ in degree they 〈◊〉 willingly design and dedicate their all to 〈◊〉 All their love and affections all their strenâ— and abilities and all their earnings and 〈◊〉 tings They give him their service and 〈◊〉 age their hearts hands and Souls and the fruits of their experiences of his Grace and love to them Christ and they do Visit one mother in the Galleries and in their Closets There they do unbosome themselves and open the secrets of their hearts to each other This is another of your great Dignities and Priviledges But having spoken something of this before I shall say no more of it here You should consider this Truth and make the best of it you can 9. You are priviledged and dignified with the holy Angels Guard and Attendance They are by nature more noble and excellent Creatures then you and yet they wait on you and keep guard round about you night and day They love and honour you and are ready to do you any service they can and you are greatly engaged to them for the honour and service they do you They do you much good for they are Ministering Spirits sent forth to Minister unto the Heirs of Salvation such as you are they secure you from and guard you against Devils and they support and uphold you in and with their hands Heb. 1. ult Psal 91 10 11. Psal 34.7 Math. 4. When you are Journying they go with you and when you lie down they watch at your Beds-side The holy Angels rejoyce in and with you Luk. 15.7 10. They are glad at your Regeneration and Salvation and they no way envy your prosperity or disdain your service as below them Whatever they do for you they do it freely faithfully chearfully and with delight Thus you see what you are born to and what Dignities and Priviledges are conferred on you and do attend your New states and conditions Apply them to your selves and lay them near your hearts lodge them in your minds and realize them to your selves for they are yours and do belong to you as you are New Creatures or in a state of Grace Use them as Divine Cordials and drink freely of them continually to strengthen and encourage your hearts and hands in the work of the Lord. For it is your Fathers will you should so do because he knows you need them and gives them into your hands for these ends and purposes And now what follows but that you endeavour to walk worthy of your new State Priviledges and Dignities Which will be the matter of the next Chapter CHAP. VII Shewing how you ought to walk and carry your selves in your Regenerate States and what God looks for and expects from you Q. WHat is the Work or what are the works and duties of New-Creatures in their Regenerate states how ought they to walk and carry themselves towards God and Men what doth God require of and expect from them A. They have great and special works and duties to do and perform to God and Men in which they must exercise and imploy themselves all their days They must never be Idle and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ or their new States 2 Pet. 1.8 Regenerate persons must abound in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult and make it their whole work and business to bring forth fruit to God Rom. 7.4 that God may be glorified in and by them John 15.8 God expects singular things and special works from you for the whole Revenue of his Glory is intrusted with and in your hands and with other of his New Creatures and he hath and will give grace and assistance enough to enable you to live to the praise