The New Birth, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Containing an exhortation to ſeeke regeneration.
AND now (brethren) in the next place,2. Exhortation, that they ſeeke to come out of this hard eſtate. if there bee amongſt you any, whoſe ſoule the Lord may hauehave awakned to feele their vnregeneracy; to them let vsus further ad a word of exhortation. It were (in truth) a poore comfort to know ones wound, if there were not a plaiſter deliuered withall to heale thoſe wounds. But we come to entreate you to be made the children of God, and to bee begotten againe: and withall, wee come to aſſure you, that you may be ſuch, if you do not reiect the preſent offer of grace. I pray you therefore let theſe words ſinke into your minds, and be you willing & deſirous to be the children of our heauenly Father. I hope (brethren) the requeſt will not ſeeme to you vnreaſonable, nor the motion light, and not worth harkening to; when the God of heauen ſues vntounto you, that be his enemies, to be changed and become his adopted ſonnes. Sure I am, that if a Gentleman ſhould, with the ſame good meaning, make the ſame offer to a poore miſerable beggar, either he would greedily accept the motion, or elſe all that knew him, would eſteeme him mad. How much worſe then mad art thou then, which wilt reiect the Lords owne motion, offering to become thy Father, and intreating thee to bee willing to be made his child by adoption? you may (perhaps) ſay vntounto me, that you do already wiſh and deſire ſo to bee with all your hearts, but that all the difficultie lies in being made ſuch as you deſire to be. And I anſwere, that if you doe indeed and in truth long and deſire to be regenerate, with a ſetled and firme deſire, and ſtable and confirmed wiſhing of your hearts, that then the greateſt impediment is remoued, and the greateſt difficultie ouercome, and your regeneration is now in a faire forwardneſſe, yea verily, it is already begun; and doe you but cheriſh theſe motions, and it ſhall be perfected. You may (perhaps) make another obiection, and ſay, that it is not in your power to regenerate your ſelues; and therfore it is an idle attempt of me, to perſwade you to become ſuch as you cannot make your ſelues to be: for the Spirit of God muſt regenerate, and who can command that to come vponupon him? To which I anſwere, that indeed a man cannot poſſibly regenerate himſelfe, this is Gods act, not his, he is a meere patient in it. But yet I ſay moreouer, that the doctrine of the Goſpell is the miniſtration of the Spirit; and where that is preached, as now it is preached amongſt you, there the holy Ghoſt comes to regenerate; there he comes with his in-liuing vertues; there he is preſent with his quickning power: and he that wil not reſiſt the motions and exhortations, that the word and ſpirit of God doe raiſe vp within him, ſhall ſurely be viſited from on high, and ſhall hauehave the ſpirit of God deſcending vponupon him, to make him a new creature. Yea further I ſay to ſuch an one, that God hath appointed certaine things to be done by men, which they that will not refuſe to doe, may doe, and thoſe that ſhall doe, ſhall be regenerated. For there is a common worke of illumination, ſo making way for regeneration, that it puts a power into man of doing that, which when he ſhall doe, the ſpirit of God will mightily worke within him to his quickening and purging. All you therefore that finde your ſelues as yet not to be regenerate, but yet faine would be (for to others it is in vaine to ſpeake, they be not yet ſo farre inlightned as to be capable of regeneration), but all you, hearken and vnderſtand what it is that you muſt doe, that you may be regenerate; and by doing which, you ſhall not faile of receiuing this wonderfull bleſſing of a new life, to be created in you: onelyonly yet with one prouiſo, that you doe not dampe the preſent motions of the word and ſpirit of God with procraſtinations and delayes, with putting off, and deferring till an other time. Nay, you muſt accept of the offers of grace, whileſt it is called to day; and know, that nothing doth more harden your hearts, and chaſe away the ſpirit of God from them, then that fooliſh and ſlothful ſhifting off his perſwaſions, with a purpoſe of ſetling about the worke hereafter, but not yet. Thou muſt take Gods time, and not bid him tarry thy time. It is no reaſon the King ſhould waite vponupon the traitor, till he were at leiſure to receiue a pardon. If thou wilt not hauehave while, when the Lord ſees it fit to make thee a ſweet promiſe of grace: remember the terrible threatning of Wiſdome, You ſhall ſeeke me and not finde me, Prou. 1.24.28.becauſe I ſtretched out mine hands, and you would not heare me. O then venture not to put off God till hereafter. Who can tell whether euer he will come ſo neere thee againe, if at this time thine entertainment of him be no better, then to ſhut vp the dores of thine heart, and tell him the roomes are otherwiſe filled, there is no place for him as yet? But now I ſay with prouiſo, that you will now begin without further deferring; I will ſhew you the way of life, and tell you that, which if you will be pleaſed to doe, (and it ſhall be no ſuch hard matter nor impoſſible, but that your owne ſoules ſhall confeſſe there is nothing to hinder you from doing it, but your owne vnwillingneſſe, or careleſneſſe, or both) if, I ſay, you will be pleaſed to doe, I teſtifie vntounto you in the name of the Lord, that you ſhall bee regenerate; and that from the time you begin to doe them, you begin to be regenerate. Now theſe things are in number three, (as I ſaid before) neither impoſſible for you to doe,Whe…eof the meanes are three. nor yet difficult; there lackes but a willing mind, and they be eaſily done; onelyonly vnderſtand of them, that you muſt not ſatisfie your ſelues with hauing done them once, but muſt doe them continually; becauſe they are meanes of encreaſing holineſſe, as well as attaining it. The firſt is,1. To deſire and pray for the ſpirit of regeneration. ſo to nouriſh your apprehenſion of your owne miſery in not being regenerated, and your earneſt deſire of being regenerated, for the eſcaping of this miſery, that it may breake forth into requeſts and petitions vntounto God, for his ſpirit of regeneration. Goe thou and muſe thus with thy ſelfe; Alas, I ſee moſt euidently, that as yet I am but a ſonne of old Adam! there is no thorough change of mine heart, nor of my life, from ſinne to holineſſe; I am as I was borne, and hauehave not been altered by a new birth: and therefore I am in no poſſibility of being ſaued. This night, if God ſhould (as how know I, but he may this night) take away my ſoule from me, O I periſh; for out of heauen, the bleſſed Sauiour of mankind hath excluded mee; for thither he tels vsus euidently, that none muſt enter that are not borne againe; and O miſerable man, I that am not yet capable of eternall life, and that ſtand in ſuch tearmes with God to this day, that hee cannot both keepe his owne truth, and ſaue my ſoule! What ſhall I doe? what courſe ſhall I take? O could I once obtaine regeneration, then I were ſafe, then I were ſure; then if death ſhould come immediately, I neede not feare it; then were the gates of heauen opened vntounto mee, and then I both might, and ſhould enter in thereto. O that I were regenerate! O that I were borne againe! O that I were a new creature! O that once the image of Chriſt Ieſus were imprinted vponupon me! All the goods and honours of this world, would not ſo much aduantage me as holineſſe, if I could attaine it. But what doe I ſtand wiſhing? I hauehave beene told that the ſpirit of God is he, who regenerateth his people. Wherefore I wil beg at his hand that mighty and ſauing worke of his ſpirit, and boldly I may doe it: for Chriſt Ieſus hath promiſed to all that thirſt, that if they come,Iſa. 55.1. he will make them drinke of the waters of life. Yea, he hath told me, that if we men who are euil, can yet giuegive naturall good things to our children that aske them; God will much more giuegive his ſpirit to them that aske it. For his promiſe is, to poure waters vponupon the dry ground, and flouds vponupon the thirſty ground, and to poure out of his ſpirit vponupon all fleſh. Well I am aſſured the word of God is true, and theſe promiſes ſhall be performed to eueryevery one that asketh, that he may receiue; and to eueryevery one that ſeeketh, that he may finde: for the Lord is rich in grace, and giues to all that aske, & hits no man in the teeth. And therefore I will take courage to call vponupon him, for that moſt deſireable gift of God, euen the ſpirit of regeneration. Thus hauing enkindled thy deſires, bow thou the knees of thy body, and of thy ſoule too, vntounto the king of heauen; and poure out thy requeſts in the moſt ſubmiſſiue & earneſt manner thou canſt, ſaying, either in theſe words, or to this purpoſe: O Lord, I am a loſt ſheep, I am a child of wrath by nature, I am moſt miſerable, moſt ſinful, & I ſee that in me there dwelleth no good thing, and if I be not renewed I muſt periſh; I beſeech thee hauehave mercy vponupon me, that I periſh not. Send thy bleſſed ſpirit into mine heart to regenerate me; for ſo is thy promiſe plainly made in thy word. Thou knoweſt that I cannot make my ſelfe new: O let thy ſpirit come vponupon me, and make me to hauehave a new heart, and a new ſpirit. Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſend thy ſpirit into mee, which may reſtore mee from this death of ſinne (which now at laſt thou haſt made me to feele) vntounto the life of holineſſe. Thou toldeſt the woman of Samaria,… 4. that if ſhe would aske of thee, thou wouldeſt giuegive her the water of life. Now Lord, I come and aske of thee that water, that liuing, that pretious water of the holy ſpirit. O giuegive it vntounto mee, that I may neuer thirſt, but that it may ſpring forth in my belly, and become a riuer of water. O Lord, I beg not money, I beg not honour, I beg not health, I beg not naturall wiſedome; but I beg that, which I hauehave more need to receiue, and ſhall hauehave more benefit by receiuing; and which thou haſt more promiſed to giuegive, and ſhalt hauehave more honour by giuing, then by any ſuch temporary or externall thing. O giuegive me therefore thy holy ſpirit to regenerate me, and make mee to feele by experience the truth of thy gratious promiſes. My brethren, I hauehave put theſe prayers into your mouthes: learne you to poure them forth, before the throne of grace in ſecret; forget not in ſome ſuch manner of words to cry for this beſt of all gifts, and beg earneſtly, and if thou canſt not amplifie, yet multiply; if thou canſt not vſe variety of words, yet repeate the ſame requeſt often, and againe and againe; if thine inuention ſerues not to ſay more, let thy deſire force thee to dwell vponupon this 20. times, & rather then faile, twice 20. times. O Lord giuegive vntounto me (a miſerable ſinner) thy ſpirit of life & grace to regenerate me; for ſo haſt thou promiſed to them that aske; & I aske Lord, & reſolue to continue asking. I certifie you all frō God, and by this authority of Chriſt Ieſus committed to his Miniſters, do verily aſſure you, that he who ſo ſeeketh regeneration, ſhall as certainly be regenerate, as God is true of his word; and that is more certaine then the Sunnes ſhining in the heauens, and the earths keeping his owne place. I know that Satan will ſtep forth to hinder you from following this counſell; he will ſtriue to make you careleſſe of it all together, as if there were no neede of begging ſo hard: but I aſſure thee, that he doth but beguile thee. Neuer any man was regenerate, nor ſhall be (after yeeres of ability to pray) vnleſſe he doe pray for it: for the gift of the ſpirit is promiſed to you that aske, and to none elſe: and by telling thy ſelfe of thy miſery in wanting regeneration, thou ſhalt eaſily ſhake thy ſelfe out of this careleſnes; and bring thy ſelfe to a care of ſeeking that, which but by ſeeking thou canſt not get; and but by getting thou canſt not be ſaued. Then will the Diuell aſſaile thee with more tentations, and caſt obiections and doubts in thy way, as if it were in vaine to pray; for ſure thou ſhalt not be heard: but beleeue him not; hee is a lyar in going about to make thee make God a lyar; for is not the promiſe ſo vniuerſall, as no man is excluded that doth not exclude himſelfe? doth it not runne thus, eueryevery one that asketh receiueth: eueryevery one that ſeeketh findeth, and therefore ſay thou to thine owne heart, if eueryevery one why not I? ſure I will aske then, and will not ſpare to ſpeede, by ſparing to ſpeake to God. And that thou maieſt yet more imbolden thy ſelfe, know that God hath tyed thee by a kind of vow to ſeeke to him for the ſpirit of regeneration, and himſelfe to giuegive it vntounto thee, when thou ſo ſeekeſt. For, tell me, art thou not a man profeſſing to be of the Chriſtian religion? Waſt thou not baptized in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt? To what end was this waſhing; but to aſſure thee, of the ſpirit of God working like water to thy regeneration? Wherefore vrge thou the Lord with his owne ſeale, and ſay, O Lord! what better euidence can I wiſh? Thou haſt giuen me the ſeale of regeneration. O make it to appeare not to hauehave beene an empty ſigne: Lord, baptiſe me with the Spirit, and with Water; euen waſh me and cleanſe me, by that pure Water of thy holy Spirit; which may ſanctifie me throughout, and make me a new creature. If any doubt ariſe in thine heart, looke thus to the ſeale of the couenant and confirme thy faith: and aſſure thy ſelfe that God will neuer falſifie his bond and ſeale, he will waſh thee according to his couenant ſealed vp vntounto thee by Baptiſme. In very deed (brethren) it is an abſurdity to imagine, that all, that are baptized with water are alſo infallibly regenerated: but yet it is ſure, that all ſuch might be regenerated, if conſidering what this ſeale importeth, they would duly and earneſtly ſeeke vntounto the Lord for performance thereof. This is that I call vponupon you now to do, if already any hauehave not done it: Let the remembrance of thy Baptiſme with water, cauſe thee to ſeeke to him that can giuegive the Baptiſme of the ſpirit; & he knoweth not how to deny himſelfe nor his couenant. But (perhaps) ſtill the Diuell may be buſie with thee, and caſt ſome quiddity, and ſubtill cauill in thy way; as ſometimes he hath done, telling thee, that if thou beeſt not, as thou findeſt thy ſelfe not to be, regenerate: thy prayers cannot be heard, becauſe they be not of faith. Thou maieſt anſwere him, that that worke of God in his word, which moueth thee ſo to pray, is a beginning of regeneration, which ſhall vndoubtedly be perfected if thou continue to pray; and therefore that thou wilt not be hindred by ſuch cauils. For thou beleeueſt that God hath ſaid true, when he ſaid, Ho eueryevery one that thirſteth; and ſeeing out of a perſwaſion of the truth of this generall promiſe, thou addreſſeſt thy ſelfe to performe the duty whereto the promiſe is made, thy prayer muſt needs be of faith (though of a weake faith), and be no ſinne, but an acceptable ſeruice vntounto God. Now therefore (brethren) be not diſcouraged for praying for the ſpirit of life to breathe vponupon you, by any cauils or obiections of Satan; be not made careleſſe of ſeeking ſo neceſſary a thing, by any fond imaginations that he will put into your minds; be not diuerted from doing this duty, by any worldly buſineſſe that may come betwixt: but what euer thou doeſt, now in thine heart, and when thou commeſt home, in thy cloſet, and in the ſolemneſt manner bow thy ſelfe to God, and cry vntounto him for the holy Ghoſt to regenerate thee. And O thou bleſſed ſpirit, that art like the wind, and breatheſt euen where thou luſte…, breathe into the hearts of ſome of theſe that heare me this day, and cauſe ſome of them to be inflamed with a deſire of regeneration, and to be incouraged to the begging of it, whereas yet it hath not been wrought. And ſo much for the firſt meanes to be vſed.2. An hiding of the word of God in the heart. The ſecond meanes is a diligent hiding of the word of God in the heart. For ſeeing that is the ſeede of immortality, if it be cloſely laid vp in the ground of our ſoules, it will fructifie to life. This law is pure, and it will purifie. It is perfect, and it wil conuert the ſoule, if like a plaiſter it be laid vntounto it. Let it be ingraffed into you like a ſcience, and it will change the wild ſap of your nature, and make you able to bring forth fruits of holineſſe. A man then buries the ſeed of the word in his hart, when he doth ponder and muſe vponupon it; when he ſets himſelfe ſeriouſly to conſider the truth of it, and to apply it vntounto his owne ſoule, taking that, that is generally deliuered, as pertaining to himſelfe in ſpeciall. Now the whole word muſt be thus whetted vponupon the heart; not the Law alone, for that of it ſelfe will breed nothing but miſerable terrours; not the Goſpel alone, for that finding the heart vnprepared to receiue it, in ſuch ill ground, will bring forth nothing but the ſtinking weedes of preſumption: but both the Law and the Goſpell, it ſo being tempered together, and obtaining a ioynt worke in the ſoule, by their mutual forces, they may both produce the grace of ſanctification. So then, if one would be regenerate, he muſt take to himſelf the whole Word of God. He muſt ſet himſelf al alone to muſe of it, ſaying to himſelf, Theſe cōmandements the Law giueth to al mankind, & among the reſt to me; theſe curſes it denounceth againſt the tranſgreſſers of it, of which ſeeing I cannot deny my ſelfe to bee one, the curſes thereof belong vntounto me, and I, alaſſe, I lie vnderunder them. But the Word of God hath ſhewed me the way of eſcaping the curſe: for Chriſt Ieſus, the Sonne of God, was in our ſtead accurſed, that wee might be free from the curſe and bee partakers of that bleſſing, which was long ſince promiſed in him, ſaying, In thy ſeede ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed. Alſo the Word of God doth plainely declare, concerning al the ſonnes of men,Pſalm. 14. that they hauehave done a corrupt and abominable deede, and that none of them doe good, no not one. It ſhuts them all vnderunder ſinne, and pronounceth them al the ſonnes of wrath. But Ieſus Chriſt is become the Sauiour of mankind, and in him his Father is well pleaſed, and none that beleeue in him ſhall periſh. Yea, in him is preached remiſſion of ſinnes, and life euerlaſting to all that beleeue in him, and reſt vponupon his merits, as vponupon a perfect ſatisfaction; and hee doth ratifie all the ſweete promiſes of the Law, to all that beleeue in him, and ſtriue to obey him; ſo that for his ſake, they ſhall obtaine all the good things which the Law promiſeth: but becauſe we are all ſinfull, it cannot beſtow them on vsus. I am a ſinfull wretch, I am a curſed creature, I am vnderunder Gods anger in my ſelfe; but Chriſt Ieſus hath ſatisfied for my ſinnes, he hath performed a perfect righteouſneſſe for me. I will goe out of my ſelfe, I will renounce mine owne righteouſneſſe and reſt onelyonly in him, euen vponupon him onelyonly; in whom (O my ſoule), aſſure thou thy ſelfe to find full remiſſion and perfect ſaluation, onelyonly ſo be it, thou turne not the grace of God into wantonneſſe; but out of louelove to him, ſet thy ſelf to keep his holy cōmandements; and take vponupon thy neck that ſweet & gentle yoke of his, the bearing of which is the moſt comfortable liberty in the World. Certainly (men and brethren) he that will often renew theſe meditations in his ſoule, and ſee the foulenes of ſin in the glaſſe of the Law, and the ſweetnes and brightnes of Gods free grace ſhining forth in the doctrine of the Goſpel, ſhal ſurely be tranſlated into the image of God from glory to glory. Therefore now reſolue with your ſelues, that you wil find time conſtantly to meditate on the Word of God, and it ſhal not faile to giuegive light vntounto your eyes, and life vntounto your ſoules. So hauehave you the ſecond meanes of attaining regeneratiō.T…ir…, conſtant … t…e Wor… p…eached. The third and laſt is to attend at the gates of Wiſdome, to waite on her poſts, I meane, to be conſtant hearers of the Word of God preached. This is the ordinance of God, which he will worke by moſt effectually and moſt vſually. The mouth of the Miniſter is the Conduit pipe, wherby the Lord doth pleaſe to deriue the ſweet & wholſome waters of life into the ſoules of men;1. Cor. 1.20. It hath pleaſed God by the fooliſhnes of preaching, to ſaue thē that belieue. The Lord hath appointed his Miniſters to be ſpirituall fathers, by their labours in publiſhing his Word, to beget men vntounto him: and whoſoeuer will not ſeeke regeneration and ſaluation here, where God hath taken order, that he may meete with them; he for his careleſnes or ignorance of Gods ordinance, ſhall neuer bee able elſe-where to attaine them. I told you mine opinion before of the Word barely read. I cannot eſteeme it quite deuoide of all power to regenerate, where God doth not giuegive vntounto men a poſſibilitie of vſing other helpe; I ſee not that he ſhould be thought either vnable or vnwilling to worke by this: but where preaching with paines, or coſt may be gotten, there he that to ſaue his labour, or to ſpare his purſe, will neglect it, ſhall neuer be borne againe. Wherefore (beloued) you muſt make high account of this ordinance, you muſt follow it, you muſt be conſtant in frequenting it; that the Lord by the mouthes of his faithful ſeruants, may breathe the breath of life into you. I confeſſe that there is a kind of fine, neate, daintie preaching, conſiſting in wel-ſounding words, and ſtreines of wit and humane learning, to ſet out the skill and art of the ſpeaker, and make the hearer applaud and commend him; which a man may well doubt, whither God wil euer bleſſe to the winning of ſoules. Theſe ſelfe-preaching men, that make preaching little elſe, but an oſtentation of wit and reading, doe put this ſword of the Spirit into a veluet ſcabbard, that it cannot pricke and wound the heart; it cannot worke life, by working death firſt; it cannot quicken, by killing before it quicken. But the plaine and downe-right preaching of the Word, by laying it open in plaine termes, to the eyes of the mind; and laying it hard to the very conſciences, by exhortations, rebukes, and comforts, for which it is profitable; euen this fooliſh preaching, is that that muſt make you wiſe to ſaluation. Wherefore how much were it to be deſired, that all we Miniſters would follow that, whereby (with fetching leſſe circuits, and taking leſſe vnprofitable, and ſelfe-intended labour) wee might doe more good to men, and bring more glory to God? and, Oh, how much are you to be called vponupon, to louelove the Word of God preached, to be glad to hauehave it plainely deliuered vntounto you, and with earneſtneſſe preſſed vponupon you without all quirkes of wit, and guilded ſhewes of mans wiſdome, and of gay words? In one word therefore I doe you all to wit, that this preaching is the inſtrument of God, I meane the chiefe and principall inſtrument, by which he is pleaſed to regenerate mens ſoules. Wherefore I command you all in the name of the Lord, to louelove it, honor it, frequent it, & ſubmit your ſelues to it, as you louelove your ſoules-health. But let me adde one neceſſary obſeruation more in this point. They bee but vncleane beaſts, that doe not chew the cud. If you will hauehave the Word, which you heare, effectuall, to make you the ſonnes of God: you muſt not be careleſſe and forgetfull hearers; you muſt not let it ſlip from you, as ſoone as it is heard: but you muſt ioyne meditation with it, and after you hauehave heard, conſider with your ſelues what you hauehave heard; and ponder vponupon it, as vponupon a thing that much concernes you, and lay the precepts, reproofes, threats, promiſes, and exhortations thereof, vntounto your ſoules; ſaying each to himſelfe, I ſee this is a dutie; hauehave not I omitted it? O yes, I hauehave! and ſo fall a begging pardon for former omiſſions, and ſtrength for more carefull performance hereafter, and ſo in all the other parts of the Word that may be deliuered vntounto you. And (brethren) the Word thus heard in the Church, and thus ruminated, digeſted and concocted at home, will be a Word of power vntounto you, to conuert you to God from the power of Satan. Thus I hauehave ſhewed you the meanes of being made the ſonnes and daughters of the liuing God. Be they not plaine? be they not poſſible? be they not eaſie? If any of you miſſe of a new birth, is it not becauſe he cares not for it; and in very truth, becauſe he is not willing to accept it? I cal your owne ſoules to witneſſe, and that God, in whoſe name, and thoſe Angels, in whoſe preſence I hauehave ſpoken theſe things vntounto you, that God deſireth not your death, hee would hauehave you ſaued; hee offers ſaluation, hee would hauehave you renewed; and hee offers the ſpirit of renouation; and if you want it, it is only meerely wholly, becauſe you regard it not, and becauſe you will not take his directions in ſeeking it. O thou therfore that art vnregenerate! ſee thine vnregeneracie; deſire to be regenerate; call vponupon God for his Spirit of grace to regenerate thee; ponder vponupon his Law and his Goſpell, the ſeede of regeneration. Hearken to his voyce, ſpeaking in his meſſengers; and meditate on what thou ſhalt heare from them, and thou ſhalt bee regenerate. But if thou wilt needs ſtand in thine owne light, and out of a conceit of being already in a good eſtate, keepe thy ſelfe irrecouerably in an euill eſtate; or out of ſloathfull negligence, or prophane careleſneſſe, omit to follow the ſound directions, which hauehave been giuen thee: be thou euer then the child of the Diuell; be thou euer the ſonne of perdition; worke out thine owne deſtruction, and thy blood bee vponupon thine owne head: the Lord is free; wee are free, and of thine owne hand alone it ſhall be required.