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duces very much to the confirmation of their faith. And thus, without knowing it, they have collected a very valuable treafure, the excellence and genuine afe of which they come not to fee, till they are born again. But as thefe things do not, of their own nature, difpofe man for regeneration, tho', by the ap pointment of God, they are fo difpofed, as that regeneration is certainly to follow, they cannot, but very remotely be called preparations, and they will be fuch more from the intention of God, than from the virtue of the thing.

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XVI. Now after a principle of fpiritual life is in- Somefafed into the elect foul by regeneration, divine grace times the does not always proceed therein in the fame method fpirit lies and order. It is poffible, that for fome time, the life in the Spirit of the life of Chrift may lie, as it were, dor- feed. mant in fome (almost in the fame manner, as vegetative life in the feed of a plant, or fenfitive life in the feed of an animal, or a poetical genius in one born a poet), fo as that no vital operations can yet proceed therefrom, tho' favingly united to Chrift, the fountain of true life, by the fpirit. This is the cafe with refpect to elect and regenerate infants, whofe is the kingdom of God, and who therefore are reckoned among believers and faints, tho' unqualified thro age, actually to believe, and practice godlinefs.

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XVII. Moreover, this spirit of a new life will even Some. fometimes exert itself in vital actions, in thofe, who times exhave received it in their infancy, as they gradually ad- fantile o vance in years, and are qualified to raise their thoughts perations above the objects of fenfe. Accordingly it has often been obferved, that, in children of five or fix years of age, fome fmall fparks of piety and devotion have fhone forth in holy longings, ardent little prayers, and in a certain extraordinary tenderness of confcience, not daring to do any thing with respect to God, themfelves or their neighbour, which they have been taught to be difpleafing to God: as alfo it appears in their dif

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courfes concerning God and Chrift, which have beer full of a holy and unfeigned love and breathing fomething heavenly, which I have not words to exprefs. Thus fometimes God is pleased, out of the mouth of babes and fucklings to ordain ftrength, Pf. 8. 2. This has been, especially obferved in fome dying children, to the great aftonifhment of all prefent.

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XVIII. But when the foundation is laid, divine times ad- grace does not always grow up, in the fame manner. It often happens, that this principle of fpiritual life, which had difcovered its activity in the most tender childhood, according to, and fometimes above, the age of the perfon, God, by his fingular grace preventing the full maturity of the natural faculties, grows up by degrees with the perfon, after the example of our Lord, who increafed in wisdom and ftature, and in favour with God and man, Luke 2. 52 and of John the Baptift, who grew and waxed ftrong in fpirit, Luke, 1. 80. Such perfons make continual progrefs in the way of fanctification, and grow infenfibly unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift, Eph. 4. 13. We have an illuftrious example of this in Timothy, who from a child had known the Holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3. 15; and who, in his tender youth, to Paul's exceeding joy, had given evident figns of an unfegned faith, with. tears of the most tender piety bursting out at times, 2 Tim 1.4, 5.

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XIX. On the other hand, fometimes these sparks times al of piety, especially which more fparingly fhone forth moft ftif- in childhood, when in a manner covered with the afhes of I knew not what, wordly vanities, and carnal pleasures of youth, will appear to be almost extinguished. The alurements of the deceitful flesh, and the forceries of a tempting world, affaulting the unadvised unwary heart with its deceitful pleasures, almoft ftifle thofe fmall beginnings of piety; and for months, fometimes for years together, fo violently

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overpower them, that all their attempts against them feem to be in vain. Yet there are ftill, in these perfons, remorfes of confcience, awakening them at times, languid refolutions, and vanishing purposes, of reforming their lives, till, by the infinite efficacy of divine grace, infinuating into the languid and decaying breast, they awake as from a deep, fleep, and, with the greateft forrow for their past life, and utmoft seriousness, apply to the careful practice of piety; the warmth of their zeal then breaks forth, being exceedingly defirous to fhew, by brighter flames, its having been unwillingly kept fmothered under the alhes. Auguftine has given us in his own perfon, a representation of this ftate in the excellent book of his confeffions.

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XX. But the Elect are not all favoured with rege-dult pernerating grace in their infancy. There are fome fons regeadult perfons, whom God regenerates, and at once nerated at effectually calls, and converts, in the fecond act, once in from a wordly and hypocritical condition, or even act and from a ftate of profligate wickedness. Thus it is converted with thofe, who are born and brought up without in the feGod's covenant, or even of thofe, who, living where cond. this covenant is difpenfed, have fold themselves wholly to fin, Satan and the world. The regeneration of these is ufually followed with great confternation of foul and forrow for fin, with a dread of God's fiery indignation and incredible defires after grace, together with an inexpreffible joy, upon finding falvation in Jefus, and a wonderful alacrity in the fervice of the Lord, which they can scarcely contain. All this may be obferved in the jaylor, of whom we read, Act. xvi.

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XXI. On this depends the folution of that quef- Whether tion, whether we are to look upon any as born again, any are to but thofe, who can fpecify the time, manner and pro- ed regenegrefs of their regeneration. None, indeed, are here rate, to be flattered, or foothed, as to think it lawful for they who them fecurely to prefume on their regeneration: but can give

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account of then the confciences of believers are not to be racked the pro- with too fevere a fcrupulofity. We cannot detergrefs of it. mine this point without a diftinction: we have just thewn, that the progress of regeneration is various Adult perfons, who are brought altogether from a carnal to a fpiritual life, indeed may, and ought exactly to know the beginning and manner of so great a change. They who, though regenerated in infancy, have yet been carried away by the entanglements of the world, and for fome time have ftruggled, as it were, with deftruction, but afterwards have been roufed by the grace of God, made to renounce the world, and give themfelves wholly to piety, fuch as we defcribed, fect. 17. Thefe may, and it is their duty to recollect, not fo much the beginning of their very first regeneration, as the procefs of that actual and thorough converfion. But it would be wrong to require thofe, who being regenerated in their infancy, have grown up all along with the quickening fpirit, to declare the time and manner of their paffage from death to life. It is fufficient, if they can comfort I themselves, and edify others with the fruits of regeneration, and the conftant tenour of a pious life., It is, however, the duty of all to recollect, not in a careless manner, the operations of the fpirit of grace on their hearts which is highly ufeful, both for our glorifying God, and for our own comfort and excitement to every duty.

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XXII. There cannot be the leaft doubt of God's author of being the author of our régeneration. For, we beregenera- come his fons, by regeneration, which were born of God, John 1. 12. And even in this refpect, the fons of God by grace, bear some resemblance to him, who is the fon of God by nature: observing only the difference between the infinite excellency of our Lord, and that dark resemblance of it in us. Why is the Lord Jefus called the Son of God? Because begotten of the father, Pf. 2. 7. Wherein confifts that generation of the father? In this, that as the father bath

life in himself, fo bath be given to the fon to have life in himself, John 5. 26. And why are we incommunion with Chrift, called the Sons of God? because his father is our father, John 20. 17. How is he our father? He bath begotten us, James 1. 18; 1 John 5. 4, II. Wherein does that generation confift? He bath made us partakers of a divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Thus we are even transformed into his likeness, and have upon us no contemptible effulgence of his moft glorious holiness.

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XXIII. But there is here a special confideration of Chrift the Chrift: Who, as God is, together with the father meritoand spirit, the principal, but oeconomically confidered, exemplary the meritorious and exemplary caufe of our regene-caufe. ration. For when he caft a vail over the majefty of the fon of God, took upon him human form, and came in the likeness of finful flefb, Rom. 8. 3, he thereby merited for all his elect, their advancement to the illuftrious dignity of the fons of God; fons, I fay, not only by adoption, but by a fpiritual and heavenly generation. The holy and glorious life of Chrift is alfo the moft perfect pattern of our new life, all the excellence of which confifts in a conformity with the life of Chrift, who is the first-born among many brethren, Rom. 8. 29. And we may add, that Chrift, as the fecond Adam, is become, not only by merit, but alfo by efficacy, a quickening fpirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45. So that the regenerate do not fo much live themselves, as feel, acknowledge and proclaim Chrift living in them; Gal. 2.20; Phil. 1.

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XXIV. What Chrift declares of the fpirit, the John 3.5, author of regeneration deferves our confideration explained. John 3. 5, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Here interpreters enquire, what we are to underftand by water, and what by the fpirit? There is one who, by water understands the origin of our natural birth; comparing with this place what we have Ifa. 48. 1, where the Ifraelites are faid to have

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