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
adore and admire him and to worship and serve him as our God But the knowledge of God being lost God hath provided means for the retriving of some and bringing them to the knowledge of himself again and this is done by Regeneration Hence they are renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created them Col. 3.10 Eph. 4. And Paul saith God that commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in mens hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The having of this knowledge is Life Eternal Joh. 17.3 For this end God opened Pauls eyes Acts 22.14 and for this end he opens others eyes also and until men are Regenerated they are in darkness and know not God nor Christ the Mediator and therefore regenerates men that they may know both and whatever else is necessary to be known Men are like Moles and Bruits without the knowledge of God Jesus Christ his Grace and Laws 8 God Created Man to make him the Object of his Love Delight Complacency and Communion and therefore made him in his own likeness Gen. 5.1 beautified him with his own Image and Nature Gen. 1.27 2 Pet. 1.4 that thereby he might make him a lovely and suitable Object for those ends Man was the Flower Crown and Quintescence of the whole Creation not so much because he had a Reasonable Soul and a more Noble Nature but because he was created in the Image of God God puts the Accent on that part of his Workmanship several times Gen. 1.26 27.5 1. Eccl. 7. ult to which the Apostle alludes Col. 3.10 This was the Creature that God saw very good as fitted for these ends namely to be the objects of his love and delight Gen. 1.31 God made them after his own Heart meet and answerable to his gracious purposes and intentions but man quickly marr'd and disrobed himself and thereby made himself utterly uncapable and unworthy of Gods Delight Complacency and Communion so that now God had not a Creature left in the World to delight in and have Communion withal But that he might not be altogether destitute of some to take up withal he chose a certain number with a design to make them Vessels of Honour and to prepare them for this his special use namely to be his Companions to solace himself with them and rejoyce in them as with his Friends and Lovers Zeph. 3.17 Isa 63.3 4. The Book of Canticles abundantly declares it Now this he doth accomplish in and upon them in and by Regeneration or making them New Creatures By Regeneration God in measure and degree restores to them what they sinfully lost by their Rebellion against and Apostacy from God and reposes them with and of his Grace and Nature which they had deprived themselves of by which they lost that love delight and complacency that God had to and in them and that Communion he had with them whilest they kept their integrity and intended them for in creating them I say God restores to them and creates in them that which will for ever make them lovely and delightful unto him by regenerating them he puts his Grace and Spirit into them Ezek. 36.25 26 27. stamps and impresses his own glorious Nature and Image on them Col. 3.10 imputes the Righteousness of Christ to them 2 Cor. 5. ult and infuses his Holiness into the whole man and so makes them lovely and beautiful by the comeliness that he hath of his own put upon them Ezek. 16.14 Then he loves and delights then he takes complacency in them and then he enters into and holds communion with them with satisfaction for his own Image and Grace sake as well as for his own love and Sons sake Joh. 13.1 Pro. 8.17 Joh. 14.21.23 Pro. 15.8 Zeph. 3.17 Isa 63.3 4. 1 Joh. 1.3 1 Cor. 1.9 These are some but not all the Ends of God in regenerating men which must be obtained in this world But besides these that concern this life there are others that concern Christ his coming and the Eternal states of Gods Elect. A word of these and I have done with this 1 The Elect are the Spouses of Christ by Christs Purchase and Gods Gift to him they were given to him Joh. 6.37 Joh. 10.29 that he might Marry them and take them into a Conjugal Relation as you have heard before in pursuance of Gods Ends in giving them to Christ he pays a price for them and purchases them for himself for although they are said to be given to Christ yet he could not get them out of Prison but by paying their debts and full ransom which Divine Justice demanded 1 Cor. 6.20 and then comes and requires his own and contracts and takes them to himself and by regenerating them he shews himself unto them and acquaints them with himself perswades them to consent to his Proposals and chuse him for their Husband and so by his Grace in their hearts they freely willingly and chearfully give their consent and Christ and they do mutually give themselves to each other and take each other into a Matrimonial state and resolution This cannot be done without Regeneration for men are not adorn'd with a personal loveliness and made meet for Christ until they are made partakers of the Divine Nature and are beautified with his Image which makes them meet Companions for him So they will by no means be perswaded to consent to have him for their Head and Husband and resign up themselves unto him until they have their hearts and states changed by his Spirit and Grace in Regeneration And therefore I say that Regeneration is absolutely necessary to bring persons into a Conjugal Relation to Christ But yet there is more to be done than what I have yet said and which I aim at in what I have spoken namely that the Contracted Bride is to make her self ready for the great Marriage day or for the compleatment of the Marriage Solemnities which shall be at Christ his second Personal coming when he shall receive his Bride unto himself and carry her home to his own Royal Palace in State and Glory John 14.3 Revel 19 1-8 Matth. 25.31 32. For this day and the great Solemnity of it Christ must have his Bride in a state and practical readiness to meet her Bridegroom in the Clouds where he will come with his Attendants in great State and send his Angels for his Bride to come to him where he will wait to receive and imbrace her and then will the Lord make his great Feast called the Supper of the Lamb and a Feast of fat things to which Feast and Marriage she must come ready deckt with all her Ornaments and Wedding Garments that she may be suitable unto her Husband For what hath been said see these Scriptures Matth. 25.32 33 34. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Rev. 19.9.17 Isa 25.6 Now I say the Lord Jesus exhorts her or them to get and make themselves ready for
and hate what we should Love We Love Gods enemies and hate his friends we hate his Laws Rods Yoke Waies People and love our Lusts the World Self and the Service of sin But Regeneration sets holy and God Pleasing Love and hatred in us So that now by the power of his Regenerating Grace we love that which we should love and hate that we should hate that which was our duty to have done before now we can do Now we can and do love holiness and hate loath and abhor our lusts and sins Now we hate the workes of the flesh and love the workes of the Spirit And as the passion of love is strong and intense on its Objects so is this of hatred likewise The man in whom this new holy hatred is did never more really heartily and fervently love his lusts and the fulfilling of them than he doth now hate abominate and endeavour to destroy them 1. Cor. 9. ult Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs namely by Regeneration have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts David tells us that this Affection or Passion was strong in him as well as that of love Psal 119.104.113 I hate every false way and I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Blessed Paul Speaks likewise to the same purpose of himself Rom. 7.15 But what I hate that do I. I do sin its true But I can say that my sin is the great and only Object of my hatred that 's as true also God hates all Iniquity in all men Psal 45.8 Ja. 44.4 and he puts the same Affection or passion into his people in Regeneration that they may hate it also All sin is exceeding sinful loathsome and abominable to the new creature for its own sake in its own nature and as it is hateful to God The evil and pernitious effects and Consequences of it makes or renders it the object of their constant hatred also They that are Spiritual minded and are in the pursuit after Grace Christ and Holyness to perfect it is the fear of God as Commanded 2. Cor. 7.1 do hate their sin because it hath deprived them of and spotted the Image of God in which they were created Gen. 1.26 2 Because it hath robbed God of his due Worship and Service for which he Created them 3 Because it hath occasioned the great debasement and Suffering of the Lord Jesus For had not men Sinned Christ had not Suffered 4 Because it grieves and vexes the holy Spirit of God Isa 63. Eph 4.30 5 Because sin devides and separates between God and them Isa 59.1.2 6 Because it doth defile and pollute all their holy things and would quite marr and spoyl them did not their great High Priest appear for them to purifie their Offerings Exod. 28.38 7 Because Sin doth clog and burden them so as that they cannot Run their Race nor do that good they desire and are resolved to do in this world Heb. 12.1 Rom. 7. 8 Because their sinful hearts draw them off from God and indisposes them to and for their walking with God 9 Because it betrays them into the hand of their great Adversary the Devil and strengthens him against them 10 Because by sin God is dishonoured and his holy Name blasphemed his Truths despised and his blessed ways rejected These and such like considerations of sin greatly provokes and stirs up the holy hatred of sin in all Regenerate men as they can experience There is in them a universal perpetual and irreconcilable hatred of all sin especially such of their own sins as do more easily beset them Heb. 12.1 They hate the very name and appearance of sin all the Germents spotted with the flesh Jude 23. They dare not knowingly parly or hold correspondency with sin because the thought or consideration of it is most hateful and abominable 3. Fear New Creatures are the only real fearers of God The all-seeing Eye the Holiness Righteousness Goodness and Authority of God do awe them and cause them to fear and tremble before him Hosea 3.5 Isa 66.1.2 Jer. 32.39 40. They do now approach nigh to God and worship him with a holy and Godly fear and are enabled to walk in the fear of the Lord all the day long Psal 2.11 Heb. 12.28 Prov. 23.17 They are afraid of sin and temptations to it and dare not knowingly and deliberately come nean them but avoid and eschew the appearances and occasions of evil They are more afraid of the cause then the effects the sin then the punishment The thoughts of their danger they are always in and their aptness and proneness to transgress by reason of the deceitfulness and treachery of their hearts the strength and power of Lusts snares of the World and Satans fi◠〈◊〉 Darts do make them jealous fearful circumspect and watchful They see such a Majesty Excellency and glorious Presence in the holy God and Jesus Christ in his Names Offices Obedience Blood Love and Grace in his Laws Promises Ways and Ordinances which causes them to fear and reverence them erceedingly Psal 89.7 4. Hope Hope is another holy Passion or Affection in the New Creature Their hope is set on God the Father and Christ his Son Psal 78.7 Tit. 2.13 and on all the good things held out to them in the Promises called the blessed Hope Tit. 2.13 They have Christ in them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 and they have Christ without them with all his fulness in the Covenant and Promises and in Heaven for them as their hope Every man hath the natural passion of hope but gracious men have the spiritual hope They hope for all the good of the covenant of grace fullness of Christs Grace and whatever may make them holy hear and happy hereafter The natural hope of unregenerate men is a groundless hope and the great things it is exercised about are but vain perishing worldly things and groundless hopes for a happiness heareafter Job 8.13.14 hence they are said to be withâ—â—â— hope in the world because they want the real spiritual and well grounded hope Eph. 2.12 1 Thes 4.13 But Regenerate men have a holy spiritual and well grounded hope and they by out and cast the Anchor of their hope on â—â—â—ings that are sure and unmovable on spiritual heavenly Soul-saving and eternal matâ—â—s and their hope is impressed provoked â—â—eng thened and quickned by them to hope more strongly steadily and constantly for the enjoyment of them They hope to obtain eternal Life in the Lords own way Tit. 1.2 not in the wayes of their own evil hearts as other men do They hope for the coming of Christ the exaltation and setting up of his Kingdome themselves to be like him and to see 〈◊〉 as be is 1 Joh. 3.2.3 Tit. 2.13 They hope for more light life and holiness from Christ and for greater measures of his Spirit to be poured out upon them in this world and they hope for more and more joy and peace in Believing Rom. 15.13
resolve they will not do so whatever is said to confute and convince them of their errour but in that state they will abide in spite of God Angels and Men and that when God comes and proffers to Regenerate and make them New Creatures And hence it is that they stoutly and stubbornly resist and rise up in violent opposition against God and the word of his Grace disputing against and contending with him and the means he gives them for their change and in effect say we are well enough why should we trouble our selves yea why should God concern or trouble himself any further with us seeing we are in a state of Salvation already and may without any more ado be saved if God will Men are naturally such strangers to their own states as that they do not will not believe that Regeneration is needful and absolutely necessary for their Salvation or that it amounts to any more than a bare Reformation and change of practise Regeneration is such a Mystery and they are so captivated to their Ignorance Atheism and Unbelief as that they think it is but an idle story and a needlest thing especially if they are Moral honest men and great Professors of the Gospel Hence it was when Christ had to do with and intended to convert Nicodemus who was a Moral and Religious honest man that he presses the necessity of Regeneration on him with four Asseverations together Except a man namely thou and others be born again ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And marvel not at this ye must be born again Joh. 3.3.5.7 So in Matth. 18.3 Verily I say to you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And as they neither see nor believe in good earnest their need of Regeneration so they believe not that God hath a mind that he doth indeed propose intend or is really willing to Regenerate them but they dream as being under the power of their Infidelity and delusions and perswade themselves that whatever they read or hear Ministers report of these things that they are but Fictions and fancies of men and that there is no truth nor reality in it or if there be yet they are not concerned in what they say unto them for their effectual Conviction and Regeneration And therefore when Christ strives and his Ministers strive with them to get into their hearts and Regenerate them they defend themselves stand upon their ground and do all they can to prevent and hinder them Rom. 10. ult Heb. 3.1.15 Thus you see that Atheism and Unbelief is a Potent Enemy to Regeneration Secondly Hatred of God and Holiness and their great love strong and much endeared affection to their sins lusts and the world greatly opposes Regenerating Grace or the work of Regeneration in us That by Nature we are haters of God the Yoke of Christ and Power of Godliness you have heard before as also that we have great affection for and are much in love with our Lusts and the World Now that these are exceeding great Enemies to and obstructions of our Regeneration is evident in Luk. 14.16 17 18 19 20. God makes a Supper of Grace and favour for sinners makes it ready sets it on the Table and sends his Servants to invite them to come and eat but would they come no in no wise But why not why because they had other things to mind and as they thought of greater concernment One had a Wife another a Farm and another Oxen. These were the things they loved minded and so greatly delighted in these things lay so near their hearts as that they would not could not come nor could the most loving Invitation perswade them their worldly lusts were so strong This made them reject that Grace that was so freely and earnestly proffered them So Covetousness caused the young mâ—â— to reject Christ Grace and Heaven Luke 18.22 23 and made him resolve to lose all rather than forgo that bosom lust He stood it out stoutly and would not bow or yield an inch to Christ although his Life and Soul lay at stake for it And to the same purpose we read in Luk. 19.27 of some who were so wedded to their lusts and interests as that they peremptorily rejected Christs Yoke They preferred the service of Sin before the service of Christ and chose rather to have their Lusts to Reign over them than the Lord Jesus By Nature men are such Enemies to God and Godliness I mean the power of it as that they hate the Light that would shew them their errour acquaint them with God and bring to the saving knowledge of true happiness Joh. 3.19 20. And they are said to abhor God Zach. 11.8 and likewise the Word and Laws of God Levit. 26.15 The Scribes and Pharisees were Religious men and knew more than others did of the Will of God and yet they stifly opposed the Grace and Gospel of Christ that was brought to them for their Regeneration if they would accept it yea they hated the Lord Jesus Christ for proffering his Grace and Assistance to them and publishing the glad tydings of Salvation Joh. 15.24 25. And how desperately did the Jews set themselves against the Apostles Preaching Christ and Grace unto them what exceeding great enmity malignity malice and hatred did they express all along to and against their Preaching and tendering Christ and his Grace unto them for their Regeneration and Salvation you may see at large in the Acts. The Language of us all by Nature is we have loved strangers and after them we will go Jer. 2.25 and therefore as for the Word of the Lord which he hath spoken we will not do it Jer. 44.16 17. Moreover Pride is a strong and hostile Enemy to Regeneration Man is a very proud Creature and as full of Diabolical and Carnal Pride as a Toad is of Poyson This is the Lust that makes men scorn to come up to Christs terms or bow to his Proposals They disdain to be beholding to Free Grace for any thing and therefore will not hearken to any of Christs Offers Pride sets men in Battle-array against Christ to dispute and sight it out with him It is so strong a Fort such an impregnable Castle as that no strength can take and subdue it but Omnipotency that can do it but none else can Eph. 1.19 20. Psal 110.3 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is the Lust that makes men so boldly and audaciously set their mouths against the Heavens Psal 73.9 and so pertinaciously contend with God it causes men to think highly of themselves and vilely of Christ Grace and a New State it makes them desperate and resolute in the way of their own hearts and turn a deaf Ear to the Lords Calls and Admonitions it causes them to trample on the Gospel Christ and his Blood and Righteousness and to harden their hearts against all reproofs and instructions All the Angels in Heaven or
charg their hearts with it and lay bonds on themselves to do it Psal 18.1 Psal 116.1 Cant. 1.4 They use Gods means to help and enable them to do it They read hear and Contemplate they meditate on consider and apply to themselves the great love of God to them and his exceeding great Lovelinesse to stir up and inflame their love to him againe They pray importunately and frequently to him to shed abroad more of his love into their hearts and to reveal himself in his Love and Grace unto their Souls that they may thereby be quickened moved and enabled to love him more Cordially and ardently They are so set upon it and so greedy after it and they do so desire and covet it as that they are never satisfied with the degree and excercise of their love to God But are unregenerate men imployed so in this work no not in the least For they have not the love of God in their hearts Joh. 5.42 Their hearts are not circumcised to love God because they are not Regenerated neither do they love or desire to have it so for when God proffers them his Spirit to do it they refuse and reject him and will not have him to concern himself with them in that matter Pro. 1.23.24 Isa 63. Gen. 6. Well then try your selves by this what can you say to it Is this special work of Regenerate men your work or is it not Be you sure of it that if you be Regenerated or born again it is your work and business But if it be not you are yet in your old and unregenerate states 2. They are exercised and imployed about the good work of searching out their own iniquities and to find out the Plagues Errours and deceits of their own hearts and ways that they may repent of their sins and mend what they find amiss To reform what ought to be reformed and to remove whatever is hurtful to their Souls or displeasing to God that they may see more cause of Self-abasement and be excited and provoked to walk more circumspectly and humbly with their God Micah 6.8 Eph. 5.15 This is not the work that Regenerate men are exercised about no but on the contrary they labour to hide their sins Pro. 28.13 Joh. 3.20 and to live in continual ignorance of their hearts states and ways that so they may live in peace and quietness at home and not be troubled at the sight of them They love and delight in their iniquities and they work and practise what they love Psal 62.4 Isa 66.3 They let their own sins alone they neither desire nor endeavour to know them but they are especially some of them great enquirers after and searchers into others transgressions which clearly demonstrates that whatever they do profess to be yet they are hypocrites Psal 64.6 Mark 32. Luke 6.7 Luke 20.20 Greater and more certain sign of a Hypocrite cannot be found than this namely for a man that professes godliness to be willingly ignorant of his own state and sins and to be a Pryer and Searcher into other mens without a clear Call from God so to do This the Hypocrites deal with Christ and Paul that they might find occasion to Charge Censure and Judge them as the aforesaid Scriptures shew and in 2 Cor. 11.12 But it is otherwise with Regenerate men they hate and abhor that filthy odious wickedness of others and make it one part of their business to know themselves and the evils of their own hearts and ways Job 13.23 Psal 77.6 1 Sam. 21.1 They cry and pray they call and wait on God to shew them all their lusts and sins such is the desire and fervency of their hearts in this matter Job 34.32 This is their work and this they do conscientiously seriously fervently heartily and frequently and that as their duty work and business in all states tryals and conditions whatsoever For they are jealous and suspitious not of others but of their own deceitful hearts Thus they do and when they have made any new discovery of their sins they bless God for their success and then they fall to another work 3. To subdue and mortifie such unmortified Lusts as they find in their hearts to purifie themselves and rectifie such errours and mistakes as upon search do appear and come to light This they are injoyned to do as their duty and this they do exercise and imploy themselves in in obedience to the Will of God because it is his Holy Will Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit And the Gospel assures us that this is the work and business of the Children of God In 1 Joh. 3 1-3 Behold saith the Apostle what manner of love is this that we should be called the Children of God This is a great and high priviledge indeed Well but what are they imployed about and exercised in Is it in making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof as unregenerate men do Rom. 13. ult no but the clean contrary namely to purifie themselves 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure The like we have mentioned Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts That is they have not fully done and effected it but they are seriously diligently and sincerely imploying and exercising themselves in and about that work and great concern of theirs This is another of their peculiar and special works and this they do and prosecute with servent prayer to God Psal 51.7 O purge and wash me that I may be clean And O wretched man that I am says Paul who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 And as they pray for it frequently and fervently so they do meditate on and apply the Blood and Death of Christ to themselves for the effecting of it and that as Gods Ordinance and appointment for that end Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people They apply themselves unto and use all Gods means for the accomplishment of it as Fasting the Lords Supper and hearing the Gospel preached which God hath appointed to mortifie their lusts and to purifie and clean their hearts Eph. 5.25 26. John 15.3 John 17.17 Every word of God is pure and the sincere preaching and hearing of it is a powerful means to kill our lusts and purifie our hearts when heard and received in Faith for that end as Gods Ordinance Acts 15.9 Heb. 4.2 This they know and therefore they use them or for that end and purpose as well as for light and comfort But what is the work and business of unregenerate men or what do they in this matter Truly nothing at all They do neither understand or like it but are perfect strangers and enemies to it there is no principle in them to do it withal
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
and Souls to magnify and honour him Psal 103.1.2 Cant. 5.10 ult They lay a Charge on themselves and command as it were their all to bless and glorify him Now what can you say to this mark Can you say it is so with you do you find it in you and do you experience it indeed or do you not can you say in deed and in Truth that whatever the performance be yet the frame bent choice inclination and disposition of your hearts and endevours of your hands are fully and frequently set and resolved to exalt serve please and magnify the great God and Jesus Christ your Lord and King your Glory and Crown Fifthly The new Creature hath a hungring and thursting desire and earnest longing after Jesus Christ after Interest in and Communion with him after a clearer and more distinct knowledge of him and acquaintance with him and whatsoever is his as his Lawes Promises Blood Graces or what ever else they hear is in him or hath relation to or proceeds from him The new Creature is like Noahs Dove that can rest the sole of its foot only on and in this Ark of the Everlasting Covenant All other Foundations are but broken Reeds and Ropes of Sand to him Christ and the Covenant of Grace the faithfulness and All-sufficiency of God are his only Anchor Holds and Rocky Grounds upon which he can rest himself and on which he casts and roles himself The New Man is the only wise Builder for he chuses the Rock of Ages to Build upon and none else Math. 7.25 Math. 16.18 Phil. 3.7 8. The Foundation which God hath laid in the Covenant of Grace for men to Build themselves their Faith and Hope upon that they desire chuse hunger and seek after and cannot be satisfied without 1 Cor. 3.11 Psal 73.25 26. The Regenerate persons take up in rest build and stay themselves The Lord is my Rock says David Psal 18.2 so says every New Creature the Lord Jesus Christ shall be my only Rock and Foundation my hopes notions self-righteousness good works and performances my self-supposed abilities Professions Priviledges and Reformations shall no more be my Foundations as they have been No but Christ and the Covenant of Grace the Faithfulness and All-sufficiency of God shall be my Foundation and resting Place I will build my self and all my hopes confidences and expectations wholly and altogether on them for they and they only can bare the weight of my Soul and eternal Salvation which I must build upon them But unregenerate men have other bottoms and foundations to rest and build themselves upon they little or nothing at all concern themselves in good earnest with the Foundation God hath laid but form a great many to themselves and build all their confidences hopes and expectations on them and say they are safe and secure no evil shall come to them Math. 7.26 Thus did the foolish Virgins Math. 25.1 and thus did Paul before his Regeneration Phil. 3.6 7. But it was otherwise after his Regeneration then his whole Soul and mind was carried forth to Christ with all possible earnestness and importunity Phil. 3.8 Their thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl now are nothing to them as once they were Micah 6.7 no but now ten thousand of worlds for a sure and certain bottom or foundation to rest and build my poor shaken and tossed Soul upon is the voice and cry of all Regenerate men before they clearly find Christ so as to build upon him and commit all their present and everlasting concerns on him And as they have a hungering and thirsting desire c. after Christ for their foundation to build upon so also to have him in their armes and hearts to have more and clearer knowledg of and intimate acquaintance and communion with him His absence is grievous to them but his presence and favour his smiles and acquaintance is better to them then Life Psal 30.5 Psal 4.6 They greatly desire to see and know their glorious King arrayed with all his Royal Robes approaching and comeing neare unto and opening himselfe unto them to impart the secrets of his Love and Grace unto them and thereby allure and draw them unto himself Psal 63.1.2 Cant. 4. ult Psal 25.14 Sixthly A new Creature hath all holy Spiritual passions and affections The natural man you know hath many natural passions and affections so the new man hath many Spiritual and heavenly passions and affections The naturall man hath many evil and sinful affections and passions and the Spiritual man hath many divine and holy affections and passions I shall name some and but a few of them 1. Love As Regeneration makes men lovely acceptable and desirable to God Men and Angels Ezek. 16. so it makes them exceeding loveing and affectionate men to God and men Before regeneration they are Self-lovers Sin-lovers and World-lovers but by the new Nature and Spirit they have received from Heaven they are no more such but God-lovers Christ-lovers Grace-lovers Duty-lovers and Saint-lovers Now they have new affections for new objects and matters They have operating Affections to and for God They single out God Christ and Holyness they chuse and single out from other objects and things the Grace and Spirit the Laws Promises People and Ordinances of Christ for their Love and to set their strongest warmest and heavenly Affections upon The affections or passion of love in them is stirred Moved Warmed and Enflamed by the Love of God the Grace and Loveliness of Christ that is declared and represented to them in and by the Gospel Oh how doth this passion somtimes work and act in them towards these objects and things It is so full as that they are not able to vent or express it especially when Christ appears to them and puts in his hand as it were by the hole of the door the heart as that they can but sigh and sob cry and weep out a little of this strong and working affection This did Mary Magdalen Luk. 7.38 she stood at his Feet weeping and washed the feet of Christ with her Tears but what was the ground of her so doing see Verse 47. why it was her ardent love and affection to Christ she did so for she loved much namely Christ Oh! what a strong passion of love was she in How did her Affection work towards Christ so likewise did Peters too Joh. 12. Lord saith he thou knowest that I love thee but how much or how strong his love and affection to Christ was he could not express David also gives us another Testimony of it Psal 119.97 Oh! how I Love thy Law and elsewhere sayes he I love them exceedingly I do love them with a greater and more affectionate love than I can express and so was his love moved and drawn out to good men Psal 16.3 2. Hatred These are opposite and contrary passions in men namely Love and Hatred In our unregenerate States we do Love what we should hate