The New Birth, Title page – Table of contents
THE NEW BIRTH: OR, A TREATISE OF REGENERATION, DELIVERED IN CERTAINE Sermons; and now publiſhed by WILLIAM WHATELY, PREACHER and Miniſter of Banbury in Oxfordſhiere.
1. COR. 5.17.
If any man be in Christ, hee is a new creature: old things are paſſed away; behold, all things are become new.
LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kingston, for Thomas Man, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pater-Noſter-Row, at the ſigne of the Talbot. 1618.
THE METHOD OF THE TREATISE.
The Doctrine concerning the neceſſity of Regeneration, is,
1. Propounded and proued by Teſtimonies of Scripture.
2. Confirmed by foure manifeſt Reaſons, taken from the
1. Sinfulneſſe of Mans corrupt Nature.
2. Puritie of Gods Nature.
3. Tenour of the Couenant of Grace.
4. End of Chriſts ſufferings.
3. Explicated
1. By a Deſcription of Regeneration from the
Cauſes
Efficient
Principall, the Holy Ghoſt.
Inſtrumentall, the Word of God, chiefly preached.
Materiall, Holineſſe.
Formall, Infuſion.
Finall, Gods glory in the perſons ſaluation.
Subiect, which is the whole Man.
2. By a Declaration of the degrees and order of working it, which are foure.
1. By diſcouering to a man his naturall ſinfulneſſe.
2. By ſtirring vp in him a ſetled deſire of pardon, and of holineſſe.
3. By dropping into him the ſpirit of Prayer, inabling him ſolemnely to beg the two forenamed things at the hand of God.
4. By ſealing him with the Spirit of Promiſe, which certifying him of acceptance with God, imprints in his will a firme purpoſe of liuing to him hereafter; and ſo he is a new creature.
3. By a declaration of the effects that follow, which are foure,
1. A Spirituall Combate with the Diuell, the World, and the Fleſh; where the combate of fleſh and ſpirit is diſtinguiſhed from the combate of the light of Conſcience, and the corruption of the will, in fiue points.
1. In the things that are at variance.
2. In the things about which they fight.
3. In the motiues inducing them to fight.
4. In the weapons by which they fight.
5. In the ſucceſſe of the combate.
2. In a good conuerſation in both parts of it,
1. Leauing all euill
Knowne
Groſſer, ſo as not ordinarily to commit it.
Leſſe groſſe, ſo as not to allow, excuſe, defend it.
Suſpected, ſo as to ſeeke, and be willing to know it, and to leaue it.
2. Doing good
For extent, Of all ſorts.
Manner
Out of conſcience to God.
According to the direction of the Word.
3. A knowledge of his owne being regenerate, vnleſſe in caſes of
1. Infancie and new comming on.
2. Strong tentations.
3. Spirituall ſownes of ſinne.
4. Growth in Grace, whereof the
Kinds are either in
Quantitie.
Qualitie.
Manner is, though not without diuers (it may be) long ſtops, as in ſicknes, yet by recouering out of all.
4. A Declaration of the principall graces of the new man in the
1. Chiefe faculties
1. Vnderſtanding
1. Knowledge.
2. Faith in
God.
The Word of God.
2. Conſcience
1. Peaceableneſſe.
2. Wakefulneſſe.
3. Will
1. Being carried after God.
2. Subiection to the will of God.
2. The inferiour powers,
1. Memorie.
2. Imagination.
3. Affections.
4. Applied, by making vſes,
1. Generall to all, to trie themſelues.
2. Speciall to the
Vnregenerate, to
Terrifie them.
To exhort them to be regenerate by
1. Deſiring and begging for the ſpirit of regeneration.
2. Hiding the Doctrine of the Law and Goſpell in their hearts.
3. Conſtant hearing the word of God preached, and meditating of it after hearing.
Regenerate,
1. To comfort them in the ſight of their happineſſe.
2. To exhort them to two things,
1. To cheriſh Grace in themſelues,
1. By auoiding ill company, and keeping good.
2. By auoiding things ſinfull, in reſiſting the firſt motions.
3. By ſhunning exceſſe in things indifferent.
4. By being conſtant in religious exerciſes.
2. To propagate it to others, which concernes the
Flock, and eueryevery priuat man, & that in regard both of
All, with whom he ſhall conuerſe, and that by good
Life.
Conference.
Eſpecially thoſe of his owne family, both them of
Age, by
1. Worſhipping God amongſt them.
2. Catechiſing them.
3. Bringing them to Church.
4. Praying for their regeneration.
2. That are infants, by bringing them to Baptiſme with faithfull and feruent prayer.
Miniſters, by conſtant and plaine preaching of the Word of God to them.
Maior, Aldermen and Burgeſſes, and the reſt of the Inhabitants of the Towne and Pariſh of Banburie: the Author dedicateth the following Treatiſe, and wiſheth all happines.
WOrſhipfull and welbeloued, I hauehave (not long ſince) preached amongſt you ſome things, concerning the nature of the New Birth. I am glad to vnderſtand, that in handling of them, I gaue to ſome of you ſome good content. I am willing (you ſee) to renew your content, by offering the ſame things now to your eyes, that formerly to your eares; that the ſerious (and I hope) often reading, of what you but once heard, may inſtruct you better, and ground you further, in this neceſſarie doctrine. And, Oh that the Lord of Heauen would pleaſe ſo effectually to co-operate with his Word, that many of you may become partakers of this happy and ſauing worke of grace! My greateſt couetouſneſſe is, that your ſoules may be thus inriched; my greateſt ambition, that they may be thus aduanced. To this end hauehave I bent mine endeauours amongſt you in the conſtant imployment of the talent lent me by God: which, how heartily doe I wiſh and pray, that it may be auaileable for your renouation! For in truth, the whole world is not worthy to ſtand in compariſon, with this life of holines. I ſay it againe, All the greateſt aduancements, profits, pleaſures (which this prick of earth, this almoſt nothing, which we tread vponupon, is able to afford), are in no ſort to be eſteemed deſirable; if they be laid in the ballance, againſt thoſe heauenly preferments, thoſe infinite treaſures, thoſe vnutterable comforts; whereto this eſtate of grace doth bring thoſe that are brought vntounto it, euen in this preſent world in ſome good meaſure: but moſt fully in the vpper region of this world, the ſtately pallace of heauen, the faireſt roome of this large houſe, and the Preſence Chamber of the King of Kings. Why then is any man, eſpecially why is any of you (to whom theſe things hauehave been frequently deliuered, on whom they hauehave been earneſtly preſſed, on whom they are conſtantly inculcated; why (I ſay) is any of you) ſo worſe then childiſh, yea, then brutiſh, as to be careleſſe of ſeeking that vnſpeakable felicity, from which nothing can hinder you, but your owne ſlothfull negligence, or wilfull careleſneſſe, in not vouchſafing to ſeeke it? This ſmall Treatiſe I am now bold to dedicate vntounto you; both that it may witneſſe to your owne conſciences, and all that reade it, that none of you doth want grace for want of meanes to get it, either on Chriſts part, the King of your ſoules, or on my part, his vnworthy Ambaſſadour: and alſo that it may be preſent with you at all times, to prouoke you to get that holineſſe, without which (you hauehave learned, that) you cannot be ſaued. Accept (I pray you) of this my labour, as a teſtimony of my deſire of your ſoules welfare; and make this one onelyonly ſufficient recompence of this, and all other my trauel amongſt you, in receiuing the grace that God offers; and ſtriuing to bee ſuch, as here you may find, that all the citizens of heauen muſt bee, euen men regenerate. So with my moſt feruent prayers to God for your proſperitie, I kindly take my leaue; reſting (ſo long as the ouer-weightineſſe, and ouer-toylſomneſſe of the place ſhall ſuffer) your Paſtor,
WILLIAM WHATELY. May 8. 1618.
THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOKE.
CHAP. I.
THe order of the word…, and the doctrine of them concerning the neceſsity of regeneration. pag. 1.
CHAP. II.
The reaſons of the point, in number foure. pag. 6.
CHAP. III.
The deſcription of regeneration. pag. 13.
CHAP. IV.
The order of working regeneration. pag. 26.
CHAP. V.
The effects of regeneration. pag. 40.
CHAP. VI.
The principall graces, which by regeneration are wrought in the ſoule. pag. 69.
CHAP. VII.
An exhortation to all to examine themſelues, whither they be regenerate, yea, or no. pag. 87.
CHAP. VIII.
A terror to them that are vnregenerate. pag. 95.
CHAP. IX.
An exhortation to the ſeeking of regeneration, ſhewing the meanes of attaining it. pag. 101
CHAP. X.
A comfort to the regenerate. pag. 115
CHAP. XI.
An exhortation to the regenerate, to cheriſh the life of grace, ſhewing the meanes of cheriſhing it. pag. 129.
CHAP. XII.
An exhortation to the regenerate to propagate grace to others, ſhewing the meanes of propagating it. pag. 139
THE NEW BIRTH: OR, A TREATISE OF REGENERATION, &c.
IOHN 3.3.
Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto thee, vnleſſe a man bee borne againe, he cannot ſee the kingdome of God.