Sacred Therapy, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of Regeneration, what it is; and the regenerat man, who he is.
WE speak not here of the regeneration of elect infants, dying in their infancy, God hath His own way of dealing with them; but of the regeneration of those who are capable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word which we may thus describe,
Regeneration (being one in effect with effectual caling) is the work of Gods invincible power and meer grace, wherein, by His Spirit, accompanying His Word, He quickeneth a redeemed person lying dead in his sins, and reneweth him in his mind, will and all the powers of his soul; convinceing him savingly of sin, righteousness and judgment, and making him heartily to embrace Christ and Salvation, and to consecrat himself to the service of God in Christ, all the dayes of his life.
2. The main thing we must take heed to in this work, is to give to God intirely the glory of His Grace and Power and Wisdom, so that the glory of mans regeneration be neither given to man, nor man made sharer of the glory with God, but God may have the whole glory of His free grace, because out of His own goodwill, not for any thing at all foreseen in man, He lets forth his speciall love on the redeemed in a time acceptable; And the glory of His Almighty power, because by His omnipotent and invincible working He makes the man dead in sins to live, opens his eyes to take up savingly the things of God, takes away the heart of stone, and makes him a new creature, to will and to do His holy will; And the glory of His Wisdom, who dealeth so with His creature as He doth not destroy, but perfect the naturall power of the mans will, making the man regenerat, most freely, deliberatly and heartily to embrace Christ, and to consecrat himself to Gods service. The reason why we urge this, is, because Satan, by corrupting the doctrine of regeneration, and perswading men that they are able of themselves by the common and the naturall strength of their own freewill, without the speciall and effectuall grace of God, both to convert themselves and others also, doth foster the native pride of men, hindreth them from emptying and humbling themselves before God, keepeth them from self-denyall, doth mar the regeneration of them that are deluded with this errour, and obscureth what he can, the shyning of the glory of Gods grace, power and wisdom in the conversion of men: for, whatsoever praise, proud men let go toward God for making mens conversion possible, yet they give the whole glory of actuall conversion to the man himself, which Christ ascribeth to God only, and leaveth no more for man to glory in his spirituall regeneration, then he hath to glory in his own naturall generation, Ioh. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. And the same doth the Apostle teach, Ephes. 2. 8. 9. 10. and, Philip. …. 13. It is God (saith hee) which worketh in you both to will and to do of His own good pleasure. And therefore it is the duty of all Christs disciples, but chiefly their duty who are consecrat to God, to preach up the glory of Gods free grace, omnipotent power and unsearchable wisdom, to live in the sense of their own emptinesse, and to depend upon the furnitour of grace for grace, out of Christs fulnesse; and zealously to oppose the proud errour of mans naturall ability for converting himself, as they love to see, and find the effectuall blessing of the Ministery of the Gospel, and themselves accepted for true disciples at the day of their meeting with Christ the Judge at His second coming.
3. For opening up of regeneration, these five propositions must be hol…en. The first is this, the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of god; for, they are foolishnesse unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14.
The second is this, it is the Spirit of God which convinceth man of sin, of true righteousnesse and of judgement, Ioh. 16. 9. 10. 11.
The third is this, in regeneration, conversion and quickning of a sinner, God, by his invincible power, createth and infuseth a new life and principles thereof, Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, and, Ioh. 5. 21. and 6. 63.
The fourth is this, the invincible grace of God, working regeneration and a mans conversion, doth not destroy the freedom of mans will, but makes it truely free, and perfects it. Ier. 31. 31. I will make a Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah, and will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, &c.
The fifth is this, albeit a man, in the act of Gods quickning and converting of him be passive, and in a spirituall sen…e dead in sins and trespasses, yet, for exercising externall means, whereof God maketh use unto his conversion, for fitting him and preparing of him for a gracious change (such as are, hearing of the Word, reading of it meditating on it, inquiring after the meaning of it, &c.) the naturall man hath a naturall power thereunto as to other externall actions, which sufficeth to take away excuse from them who have occasion of using the means and will not use them, Matth. 23. 37.
For clearing of the first proposition, we must remember, that the object of actuall regeneration, conversion and effectuall calling, is the man elected or redeemed by Christ, lying in the state of defection from God destitute of originall righteousnesse, at enimity with God, bently inclined to all evill, altogether unfit and impotent, yea even spiritually dead to every spirituall good, and specially to convert, regenerat or quicken himsel…: for albeit after the fall of Adam there are some sparks of common reason remaining, whereby he may confusedly know that which is called spirituall good, acceptable and pleasant unto God and fit to save his soul; yet the understanding of the unrenewed man judgeth of that good, and of the truth of the Evangell wherein that good is proponed, to be meer foolishnesse, and doth represent the spirituall object, and sets it before the will, as a thing uncertain or vain; and the will of the unrenewed man, after deliberation & comparison made of objects, some honest, some pleasant and some profitable in appearance, naturally is inclined to prefer and choose any seeming pleasant or profitable thing, whether the object be naturall or civill, rather then that which is truly honest and morally good. But if it fall out that a spirituall good be well and in fair colours, described unto the unrenewed man, yet he seeth it not, but under the notion of a naturall good, and as it is cloathed with the image of some naturall good, and profitable for preserving its standing in a naturall being and welfare therein. So did the false prophet Balaam look upon the felicity of the righteous in their death, when he did separat eternall life from faith and sanctification, and did rent asunder the means from the end appointed of God, saying, Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, Numb. 23. 10.
After this maner the woman of Samaria apprehended the gift and grace of the holy Ghost, and saving grace offered to her by Christ, Lord (saith she) Give me of that water, that I may not thirst again, and may not come again to draw water, Joh. 4. 15. So also did the misbeleeving Jews judge of the application of Christs incarnation and suffering for their spirituall feeding, Joh. 6. 33. 34. 35. for, The naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God, because they are spiritually discerned, and the naturall man is destitute of the spirit of illumination. 1 Cor. 2. 14. And the wisdom of the flesh is enimity to God: for it is not subject to the law of God, yea, it cannot be subject unto it, Rom. 8. 7. The power therefore of the naturall or unrenewed man is not fitted for the discerning, and loving of a spirituall good, because he is altogether naturall and not spirituall: For, a supernaturall object, requireth a supernaturall power of the understanding and will, to take it up, and rightly conceive of it: But of this supernaturall faculty, the unrenewed man is destitute, and in respect of spirituall discerning, he is dead, that he cannot discern spirituall things spiritually.
4. As for the second proposition anent a mans regeneration, the Lord, that He may break the carnall confidence of the person whom He is to convert, first, sheweth him his duty by the doctrine of the law and covenant of works, making him to see the same by the powerfull illumination of the holy Spirit, and so taketh away all pretext of ignorance. Secondly, He sheweth him his guiltinesse and deserved damnation wherein he is involved, and so taken away all conceit and imagination of his innocency, Thirdly, He doth convince him of his utter inability to satisfie the law, or to deliver himself from the curse thereof, either by way of action and obedience, or by way of suffering and paying of the penalty of the violat law of God: And so overturneth all confidence in himself, or in his own works. Whence followeth the elect mans desperation to be delivered by himself, because he seeth himself a sinner, and that all hope of justification by his own deeds or sufferings, is cut off. Now, that this is the work of the holy Spirit, is plain, Ioh. 16. 8. When the comforter, the spirit of truth, shall come, He shall convince the world of sin, &c. And in this condition sundry of Gods dear children, for a time are keeped under the bonds of the law, under the spirit of bondage and sad conviction.
5. As for the third proposition, the Lord after He hath laid the sin of His elect child, who is to be converted, to his charge by the doctrine of the law, first, openeth up a light unto him in the doctrine of the Gospel, and lets him see, that his absolution from sin and his salvation is possible, and may be had, by flying unto Christ the Redeemer. Secondly, the Lord drawing near hand the humbled self-condemned soul, deals with him by way of morall swasion, sweetly inviting him in the preaching of the Gospel, to receive the Redeemer Christ Jesus, the eternall Son of God manifested in the flesh, that by receiving of Him as He is offered in the Evangel, for remission of sin, renovation of life, and eternall salvation, he may close the Covenant of grace and reconciliation with God. Thirdly, because the fall of Adam hath bereft man of all spirituall and supernaturall power, till he be supernaturally quickned and converted by the omnipotent power of Gods grace: Therefore the Lord s…peraddeth unto morall swasion, effectuall operation, and formeth in the soul a spirituall faculty and ability for doing what is pleasant unto God, and tendeth to save himself according to the will of God. This infusion of a new life, sometime is called the forming of the new creature, sometime regeneration, sometime rising from the dead and vivification, or quickning of the man, sometime saving grace and the life of God, and the seed of God, having in it the principle of all saving graces and habits, which are brought forth afterward to acts and exercise.
Mean time, true it is, that all men, because of their inborn corruption, have an inclination and bent disposition to resist the holy Ghost; But when the Lord will actually convert the man, He overcometh and taketh away actuall resistance, and doth so break the power of naturall rebellion that it doth not for ever after reign in him: for, if God did not take away actuall resistance of the man in his conversion, no conversion should certainly follow, and God should be disappointed of His purpose to convert the man, even when He hath put forth His almighty power to work conversion; But God doth so wisely and powerfully stir up this new infused life of grace, and setteth it so on work, that the understanding and judgement like a counsellour, and the Will like a commanding Emperour, and the active power of the new infused faculty as an officer, do all bestir themselves to bring forth supernaturall operations. Whence it cometh to passe, that the new creature beginneth to look kindly on Christ the Redeemer, and to desire to be united unto Him, and doth streatch forth it self to embrace Him heartily, for obtaining in Him righteousnesse and salvation, as He is offered in the Gospel: And so he casts himself over on Christ with full purpose never to shed from Him but by faith to draw out of Him grace for grace, till he be perfected. And here the man that was meerly passive, in his quickning and regeneration, beginneth presently to be active in his conversion, and following conversation: for, God giveth to him to will and to do of His good pleasure; And he having obtained by Gods effectuall operation to will and to do, doth formally will and do the good which is done.
6. As to the fourth proposition, when the power of God is put forth, invincibly for the converting of a soul, that invincible working is so far from destroying the naturall liberty of the will, that it doth indeed preserve it, and sets it right on the right object, and doth perfect it: For, as when God openeth the eyes of a mans understanding, that he doth behold the wonders of His law, when hee removeth the naturall blindnesse of the mind, and maketh a man see that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation; which sometime he counted to bee meer foolishnesse, he doth no wayes destroy the mans judgement, or understanding, but doth correct, help, heal, and perfect it; So when the holy Spirit doth powerfully and effectually move and turn the Will of the man to embrace the sweet and saving offers of Christs grace in the Gospel, and maketh him deliberatly choose this blessed way of salvation, and to renounce all confidence in his own, or any others worth or works, He doth not destroy, but perfect the liberty of the Will, and raiseth it up from death and its damnable inclination, and maketh it most joyfully and most freely to make choice of this pearl of price, and blesse it self in its choice for ever. Therefore, let no man complain of wrong done to mans free-will, when God stops its way to hell, wisely, powerfully, graciously and sweetly moveth it to choose the way of life; But rather let men beware to take the glory of actuall conversion of men, from God, and either give it wholly to their idoll of free-will, or make it sharer of the glory of regeneration with God, which glory God will not give to another, but reserve wholly to Himself: for, all men, in the point and moment of regeneration, are like unto Lazarus in the grave, to whom God, by commanding him to arise, gave life and power to arise out of the grave where he lay dead and rotting.
7. As to the fifth proposition, We must distinguish the work of regeneration from the preparation and disposition of the man to be regenerat, whereby he is made more capable of regeneration to be wrought in him: for, the materiall disposition of him, fitting him for regeneration, is neither a part nor a degree of regeneration; for, albeit the Lord be not bound to these preparatory dispositions, yet He will have man bound to make use of these externall means which may prepare him; because, by the use of externall means (such as are, hearing of the word, Catechising and conference, &c.) a man may be brought more near unto regeneration, as Christ doth teach us by His speech to that Pharisee, who was instructed in the law and answered discreedy unto Christ; Thou art not far (saith He) from the kingdom of God, Mark. 12. 24. This preparatory disposition, in order unto regeneration, is like unto the drying of timber to make it sooner take fire, when it is casten into it. For, dryness in the timber, is neither a part nor a degree of kindling or inflammation of it; But only a preparation of the timber to receive inflammation when the fire shall be set to it, or it put in the fire, possibly, a long time after. In these preparatory exercises then, no man will deny, that the naturall man unrenewed, hath a naturall power to go and hear a Sermon preached, to read the Scripture, to be informed by Catechising, and conference of Religion and regeneration, whereof God when He pleaseth may make use in regeneration of the man. Wherefore, whosoever in the preaching of the Gospel, are charged and commanded to repent, to believe in Christ, or turn unto God, they are commanded also to use all these externall means whereby they may be informed of the duty required, and of the means leading thereunto; in the exercise of which externall means, they may meet with sundry common operations and effects of Gods Spirit, before they be regenerat or converted, whereof the use may be sound not only in, but also after, conversion; And if any man shall refuse, slight or neglect to follow these preparatory exercises, which may prepare him for conversion, he is inexcusable before God and man, and guilty of rejecting of the offer of reconciliation, yea guilty of resisting of the holy Ghost, of which sin and guiltynesse the holy martyr Stephen chargeth the misbelieving Jews, Acts 7. 51.
8. As for the regenerat man, he it is who in the acknowledgement of his sinfulnesse and deserved misery, and of his utter inability to help himself, doth cast away all confidence in his own parts, and possible righteousnesse of his own works, and fleeth to Christ offered in the Gospel, that in Christ alone he may have true wisdom, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption; and doth with full purpose of heart consecrat himself, and endeavour, in the strength of Christ, to serve God acceptably all the dayes of his life.
For the ground of this description, we have the words of the Apostle, Philip. 3. 3. Where putting a difference between the true people of God, and the counterfit, he saith. We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, and rejoyce in Iesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh. In which description of the regenerat man, the Apostle first points forth unto us three speciall operations of the Spirit of regeneration, then three duties of the man regenerat.
The first operation of the Spirit of God, the only circumciser of the heart, is the humbling of the man in the sense of his sin by the doctrine of the law, and cutting off all his confidence in his own worth, wit, freewill and strength to help himself. So that the man hath no confidence in the flesh.
The second operation, is the infusion of saving faith, making the man humbled to close with Christ in the Covenant of reconciliation, and to rest upon Him as the only and sufficient remedy of sin and misery, so that Christ becometh to him the ground of rejoycing and gloriation.
The third operation, is the upstirring and enabling of the believer in Christ, to endeavour new obedience, and to worship God in the spirit.
As for the three duties of the man regenerat. The first is, to follow the leading of the Spirit in the poynt of more and more humbling of himself before God in the sense of his own insufficiency, and …shewing of all leaning on his own parts, gifts, works, or sufferings, or any thing else beside Christ; He must have no confidence in the flesh.
The second duty, is to grow in the estimation of Christs righteousnesse and fulnesse of all graces to be letten forth to the believer imploying Him by faith, and comforting himself in Christ against all difficulties, troubles and temptations; He must rejoyce in Iesus Christ.
The third duty, is to endeavour communion-keeping with God in the course of new obedience in all cases, worshiping and serving God in sincerity of heart; he must be a worshiper of God.
As to the last thing holden forth in the Apostles words, which is the undoubted mark and evidence of the man regenerat and circumcised in heart, it standeth in the constant endeavour to grow in these three duties joyntly, so as each of them may advance another: for, many failings and short-comings will be found in our new obedience and worshiping of God in the spirit; but, let these failings be made use of to extinguish and abolish all confidence in our own parts and righteousnesse, that our dayly failings may humble us and cut us off from all confidence in the flesh.
But let not these failings so discourage us, as to hinder us to put confidence in Christ; but by the contrair, the lesse ground of confidence we find in our selves, let us raise so much higher the estimation of remission of sin and imputation of Christs righteousnesse, and stir up our selves by faith to draw more strength and ability out of Christ for enabling us to walk more holily and righteously before God; and having fled to Christ and comforted our selves in him, let us not turn his grace into wantonnesse; but the more we believe the grace of Jesus Christ, let us strive, in his strength, so much the more to glorifie God in new obedience: And in the circle of these three duties, let us wind our selves up stairs toward heaven: for, God hath promised, that such as wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint, Isaiah 40. 31.
In the conjunction of these three duties, the evidence of regeneration is found. If there be not a sincere endeavour after all these three duties, the evidence of regeneration is by so much darkned, and short for probation: for, it is not sufficient to prove a man regenerat, that he is driven from all confidence in his own righteousnesse, and filled with the sense of sin and deserved wrath, because a man that hath no more then that, may perish in this miserable condition, as we see in Iudas the traitour, whose conscience was burdened with the sense of sin, but did not seek mercy and pardon. Neither is it sufficient to boast of acquaintance with Christ, and professe great respect to him, because many do cry, Lord, Lord, who neither renounce their confidence in their own righteousnesse, nor worship God in spirit; for, of such Christ saith, Matth. 7. 21. Not every one that saith to Him, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God. Neither is it sufficient to pretend the worshiping of God in spirit: for, all they who think to be justified by their own works, do esteem their manner of serving of God, true and spirituall service and worship, as may be seen in the proud Pharisee glorying before God in his own righteousnesse, and acknowledging that God was the giver unto him of the holinesse and righteousnesse which he had, Luke, 18. 11. I thank Thee, O God, saith he, that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican: for, of this man Christ saith, he returned to his house unjustified, that is, a man lying still in sin unreconciled.
Neither is it sufficient to prove a man regenerat, to confess sin and by-gone unrighteousnesse, and to promise and begin to amend his wayes and future conversation; for, so much may a Pharisee attain. And there are many that professe themselves Christians, who think to be justified by the merits of their own and other saints doings and sufferings, and do disdainfully scoff and mock at the doctrine of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ; how many are they also, who think their bygone sins may be washen away, and be recompenced by their purpose to amend their life in time to come? How many are they, who, being willingly ignorant of the righteousnesse of God, which is of faith in Jesus Christ, go about to establish their own righteousnesse as the Jews did? Rom. 10. 3.
And how few are they who follow the example of the Apostle, who carefully served God in spirit and truth, but did not lean to his own righteousnesse, but sought more and more to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousnesse, which behoved to be made up of his imperfect obedience of the law, but that righteousnesse which is by faith in Jesus Christ? Philip. 3. 9.
But that man, who daily in the sense of his sinfulness and poverty sleeth unto Jesus Christ, that he may be justified by His righteousnesse, and endeavoureth by faith in Him to bring forth the fruits of new obedience, and doth not put confidence in these his works when he hath done them, but rejoyceth in Jesus Christ the fountain of holinesse and blessednesse; That man (I say) undoubtedly is regenerat, and a new creature, for so doth the Apostle describe him, Philip. 3. 3.