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plaints of God and of Chrift, of the unwillingness of people, to be converted, be objected to it; because thefe don't speak of any inward power that would bring about their converfion, as if they were able to weaken that, but of the external miniftry of the word, against which the wicked harden their heart. Neither are we to urge, what we elsewhere find about grieving the Spirit of God: because we are to diftinguifh between the common operations of the Spirit of God and the fpecial operations of the Spirit of Grace between the moral, and the fupernatural actions of the Spirit of Grace. Between fome more feeble impulfes to certain exercises of virtue and piety, and that grand attempt of the Spirit, when he goes to convert an elect perfon. They grieve the Spirit of God, because they rather choose to obey the impulfes of the flesh and of the devil, than his holy admonitions, which are partly propofed externally by the word, partly infinuated into their mind by confcience. Believers themselves alfo grieve the Spirit of Grace, whereby they are fealed, as often as they refufe to comply with his holy admonitions; and tho' confcience, in which the Spirit has fet up his throne; in vain ftruggles with them, yet they fuffer themselves to be carried away by the flefh and the world; and likewife every time, that, with a becoming reverence of foul, they refuse to receive, cherish, follow his holy impulfes, when he quickens them to duty. Whence nothing can be concluded against the invincible efficacy of God, when he calls internally, and effectually undertakes the converfion of his people.

XXVI. We ought then attentively to confider, calling. carefully harken to, and willingly comply with the call of God, both the external by the light of nature and revelation, and the internal by the Spirit, fo that upon being brought to communion with God and

Christ

Chrift, we may fhew forth the praises of him, who bath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light ↑ Pet. 2. 9.

B

CH A P. VI

Of Regeneration.

Y that fame word, whereby the Elect are We are called to communion with God and his Chrift, regenerated by the they are also regenerated to a far more excellent life. fame word For thus James faith, c. 1. 18, of his own will begat we are be us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of called. first fruits of his creatures. It is therefore proper, we proceed from the fubject of effectual calling, to that of REGENERATION.

terious.

II. But here all things are deep, and wrapt up in Regeneramyftery. Who can unfold to us the fecrets of his tion myf own corporal birth? Who can diftinctly declare, in what manner he was poured out like milk, and curdled like cheese within the bowels of his mother? The Prophet himself, as if he was feized with a holy amazement, cried out; I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvellous are thy works, and that my foul knoweth right well. My fubftance was not bid from thee, when I was made in fecret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did fee my fubftance yet being unperfect. Pf. 139. 14, 15, 16. But if these things, which regard the origin of our body, and the beginnings of this animal life, are involved in fuch darkness, as to fruftrate the enquiries of the most fagacious; how much more involved are the things, that conftitute our spiritual regeneration, which none can doubt to be mystery all over?

III. But

Yet abfo

III. But yet this is fo neceffary, that our Saviour Jutely ne- declares, that without it, there is no entering into ceffary to falvation. the kingdom of heaven, John 3. 3, 5. It therefore deferves to be enquired into; that, if we have perhaps attained to it, we may celebrate with becoming praises the glorious perfections of God our father, which fhine fo confpicuous in this illuftrious work, and properly valuing our happiness, we may frame the whole tenour of our lives in a manner fuitable to it.

Its defini

tion.

tion pre

IV. We give this definition of it: REGENERATION is that fupernatural act of God, whereby a new and divine life is infufed into the elect perfon, spiritually dead, and that from the incorruptible feed of the word of God, made fruitful by the infinite power of the Spirit.

Regenera- V. We are all dead in Adam, 1 Cor. 15. 22, fuppofes through the poifon of the tempting ferpent. This fpiritual murderer from the beginning, John 8. 44, had fuch death. fuccefs attending his endeavours, that all men who

now exift are by nature dead in trefpaffes and fins, Eph. 2. 1. That is, ft. They are feparated at the greatest diftance from God and his Spirit, who is the foul of their foul, and life of their life; or, in the language of Paul alienated from the life of God Eph. 4. 18. 2dly. They are fpiritually infenfible of all fpiritual things, and deftitute of all true feeling: they don't rightly confider the load of their fins, because they are in them as in their element: nor have a right knowledge of their mifery, being past feeling Eph. 4. 19, nor any relish for divine grace, because it has not yet been conferred upon them; nor any longing after heavenly things, being ignorant of their worth. 3dly. They are wholly incapable of every act of true life; not fufficient of ourfelves to think any thing as of ourselves, 2 Cor. 3. 5. The understanding, is overfpread with difmal darkness, Eph. 4. 18, bath not fet God before it, Pf. 86. 14, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,

neither

neither can it know them I Cor. 2. 14. The will has no tendency to things unknown: and thus all the things of God are defpifed by it as mean. And if, at times, it seem to perform any things, that have fome appearance of vital actions; this proceeds not from a principle of life; but refembles thofe automatical or artificial motions, by which statues, ingenioufly framed, counterfeit living animals.

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VI. But as a dead carcafe fwarms with vermin, In this arifing from putrefaction, in which the brifkeft death life is obferved; tho' of another order and kind wickedfrom that life, which was formerly in that body; most livefo in like manner, there is a kind of life in a man ly. fpiritually dead, but it is carnal, hellish and diabolical, at the greatest distance from true life, and the more vigorous it is, it gives the more evident figns of the most deplorable death. The Apostle has elegantly joined this death and life, Eph. 2. 1, 2, when ye were DEAD in trefpaffes and fins, ye walked in them, as is THE LIFE of this world: fo Beza franfates. In the geek it runs κατὰ τὸν ἀιῶνα τα κοςμε τότε, Elegantly Philo Alleg. Lib. 1. Defines this death : when the foul is dead as to virtue, it lives the life of vice. Not unlike to what Macarius fays, Homil. 12, when Adam began to entertain evil thoughts and devices, be perifbed as to God: we fay not, be perifbed altogether, was deftroyed and quite dead; but that, tho' as to God, he was dead, yet he was alive as to his own nature. What Macarius affirms of Adam is univerfally true of all: for, in a man spiritually dead, there is really a natural or animal life, which tho' not active in that which is good, is doubly active in that which is evil. The understanding, not apprehending the wisdom of God, looks upon it as foolishnefs, 1 Cor. 2. 14; and yet, when it would find wifdom in the things of God, it fo transforms them by its mad prefumption, and compells them, even against their nature, to a conformity to the notions of its

trifling

Regeneration in

trifling prefumptuous felf-wifdom, that while it impiously prefumes to correct the wifdom of God, it transforms it in a dreadful manner into down right folly. The will, not finding any thing in God, wherewith it can take delight, feeks it either in the creatures without God, or, which is more abominable, in the very perpetration of wickednefs. The affections, fhaking off the reins of reason, rush on in full career. The body, with all its members, is the throne of mad and furious lufts. And the whole man, being fo averse from God, and infatuated with the fond love of himself, fets himself up for an idol, makes his own advantage his fupreme end, his own pleasure, his moft infallible law. This is the life of the foul, which is dead while living, 1 Tim. 5. 6.

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VII. And thus it is with the elect before regeneration: but by regeneration a new life is put into fufes new life. them, resulting from a gracious union with God and his Spirit. For, what the foul is to the body, that God is to the foul. Moreover, this Spiritual life may be confidered, either by way of faculty, and in the first a&t, in the ufual language of the fchools; or by way of operation, and in the fecond act. In the former refpect, it is that inward, constitution of the foul, whereby it is fitted to exert those actions, which are acceptable to God in Chrift, by the power of the Spirit uniting it to God: whether fuch actions immediately flow from that principle, or whether they lie concealed for fome time, as fruits in their feed. In the latter refpect, it is that activity of the living foul, by which it acts agreeably to the command of God, and the example of Christ.

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VIII. If we confider this firft principle of life, no middle there is not the leaft doubt, but regeneration is accomplished in a moment. For there is no delay tween the in the tranfition from death to life. No perfon can

ftate be

regenerate

and unre- be regenerated, fo long as he is in the ftate of spiritual

death:

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