A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Exposition and Observations arising out of verse 3.
IN verse 3. follows Christs answer to Nicodemus ▪ which is continued to verse 22. In which Christ first declareth the necessity of Regeneration, in these words, Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot s…e the Kingdom of God.
Before we come to the substance of Christs discourse, observe we his manner of entertaining Nicodemus.
You have heard from the foregoing verses, that Nicodemus was both a Pharisee and a Ruler; both which sorts of men most of all opposed Christ. And you have heard of his weakness, how through fear and shame he went to Christ by night; being loth to be seen with him. Yet Christ re…ects him not, but kindly entertains him, and instructs him in such points, whereof he was ignorant, though they were fundamental points necessary to salvation. Whence we may observe:
Observ. Christ is ready to entertain those that in truth, and uprightness seek unto him, though their weaknesses and in…rmities are many. He rejecteth not such as are weak in faith for their weakness. We read in the History of the Gospel, that when Christ lived upon the earth, he rejected none who came unto him in uprightness of heart. Some indeed went away of themselves, but he turned away none. Only he seemed once not to regard the Woman of Canaan, But why? Surely not out of any purpose or intent to reject her, or turn her away, but only to make known the greatness and strength of her faith. For in the close Christ saith unto her,Mat. 15.28. O Woman great is thy Faith. And can any imagine, that now Christ is in Heaven, he hath not the same bowels of compassion towards those that come unto him, which he had, when he was upon the earth! Questionless though he be there free from passion, yet not from compassion towards weak believers. That which was long before Phrophesied of him by Isaiah, ever was, and will be found true in him, namely, A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoaking flax shall be not quench: Isa. 42.3.that is, He shall not deal roughly and rigorously with weak Christians, such as are weak in grace, but mildly and gently.
Luk. 19.10.For the end of Christs coming was to seek and save that which was lost. And can we imagine that Christ who seeketh after those who go away from him, will reject any who do in truth seek after him?
Yea Christ is naturally very merciful and tender: as he hath beams of Majesty, so likewise bowels of mercy, pitty and compassion. His tenderness over weak Christians is set forth in Scripture, by a Mothers compassion over her sucking child, Isa. 49.15.the Son of her Womb: and by a fathers pittying his children. Psal. 103.13.So that I may upon good ground conclude; that Christ will not cast away or reject such as are weak in faith, because (but) children; but most willingly and readily embrace them, because Children.
What encouragement should this be unto all poor believers, how weak soever their faith is, to go unto Christ, as for the strengthning their weak faith, so for the subduing their strong lusts, and for the reviving their drooping souls? For your further encouragement, you have Christs gracious invitation, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat. 11▪28.Hath he bid thee come, and will he reject thee when thou comest? Hath he called, come ye holy ones, come ye righteous ones, come ye strong ones, and you only shall have rest? Hath he not invited the weak, and the weary also, the drooping and fainting soul? Go poor weak soul, go unto Christ, behold he calleth thee, go unto him, and thou mayst expect thy cure. Questionless, one special reason why Christ shewed himself so willing and ready to hearken unto the cry of those who came unto him for the cure of their bodily distempers, when he was upon the earth, and to heal the same, was to stir us up to go unto him for the healing of all our spiritual maladies and diseases. For Christ came not into the world to heal bodies, but souls. And therefore when the name Iesus was given him, the reason is said to be this, Because he shall save his people from their sins. Mat. 1.21.Not their bodies from sicknesses, but their souls from sins.
Art thou bound under any spiritual infirmities? Do as those sick and diseased persons did, when Christ was upon the earth, who are said to go unto him in faith, believing he was both able and willing to cure them; whereby they drew vertue from him for their healing.
Art thou troubled for the weakness of thy faith, complaining thou hast no assurance of thine interest in Christ, no assurance of the pardon of thy sins? Go unto Christ by prayer for encrease of faith, believing that he is as able, so willing to strengthen thy weak faith. And fear not, thou shalt find such measure of strength added to thee, as Christ seeth best, and as shall be sufficient for thee.
Art thou sensible of the working and stirring of corruption in thee, fearing lest it should get dominion over thee?Rom. 6.14. Lay hold on that promise, Sin shall not have dominion over you. And in confidence of his faithfulness that spake it, apply thy self to Christ by prayer, for his making good that good word to thee: and then stand still and see the salvation of God. Lust as strong as 'tis, will not be able to stand before the prayer of faith: only be carefull that when thou hast made thy Prayer, thou set a watch. Art thou assaulted with the temptations of Satan, and fearest that he may get the victory over thee? Go unto Christ by prayer for strength and support against them, believing there is as a power in Christ, so a willingness in him to succour, and strengthen thee; and thou shalt be sure to find, if not deliverance from temptations, yet grace sufficient to resist them, and power to overcome them.
Lastly, Art thou troubled with an hard and obdurate heart? with a filthy and unclean heart? with a worldly, and covetous heart? with a proud and barren heart? Go unto Christ by prayer, believing there is as a power, so a willingness in him to mollifie thine hard and obdurate heart; to purifie thy filthy and unclean heart; to spiritualize thy worldly and covetous heart: to humble thy proud heart; to make fruitfull thy barren heart. And doubt nor but thou shalt find thine hard and obdurate heart in some measure softned, thy filthy and unclean heart in some measure purified, thy worldly and covetous heart in▪ some measure spiritualized, thy proud heart in some measure humbled, and thy barren heart in some measure made fruitfull.
And certainly one special reason why many go drooping and groaning so long under the bondage of corruption, under the weight and burden of their spiritual maladies, and diseases, is, because they do not go unto Christ by prayer for freedom from the same: or through the weakness of their faith, they do not believe Christ is, as able, so willing to help and deliver them. For what Christ said to the poor man who came unto him in behalf of his possessed child, the same he saith to thee,Mark 9.23. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Obj. Some are apt to say, I have often gone unto Christ by Prayer, earnestly begging of him to strengthen my weak graces, to subdue my strong lusts and corruptions, to mollifie my hard heart, &c. but I cannot pray in faith: I cannot believe that he is, as able, so willing to grant my requests.
Answ. 1. Thou mayest pray in faith, even then when thou thinkest thou dost not believe. Weak Christians are often mistaken here, supposing that if they be not confidently perswaded that God will hear them, they do not pray in faith. Whereas it is not a confidence that God will hear us, but a dependance upon Christ in hope of audience, that is our s…et evidence of faith in prayer. Thou sayest thou prayest, and prayest, but canst not be perswaded that the holy God will hear the prayers of such a vile and unworthy wretch, and thereupon concludest that thou dost not pray in faith. But let me ask thee, Dost thou offer up thy prayers in the name of Christ? dost thou depend upon him in hope of an answer for his sake? this is praying in faith.
2. Mourn and weep for the weakness of thy faith.
3. Be earnest with God in prayer that he would strengthen it.
4. Know that thy corruption neither is, nor will be utterly destroyed, so long as thou livest here in this World; neither will thy spiritual maladies and diseases be quite cured, but they do and will continue in some measure and degree; partly to bring down thy pride, which of all sins is the most odious and abominable unto God; and to advance thy humility, which of all graces is most pleasing and acceptable unto God: and partly that thou mayest have frequent occasion of going unto God by prayer for help and strength against the power of thy lusts and corruptions.
5. Know, that power against sin, increase of grace, an humble, tender, clean heart, are mercies as worth the praying for, so worth the waiting for. Christs delays are no denials: thou canst not say, he will not, because yet he hath not given thee thy desires. Be not weary of seeking; in due season thou shalt reap, if thou faint not.
Before I leave this point, I shall add one word by way of caution. Beware thou mistake not thy self.
Take not thy self to be one of little faith, whilest thou hast no faith. Let not unbelievers catch at the comforts and encouragements that belong to the least of Saints; that which is their meat, will be thy poison. Comforts falsely applyed, though they be sweet in the mouth, will prove curses in the belly. Hast thou no faith? Oh tremble, this is the word that belongs to thee,Mark 16.16. He that believeth not shall be damned. Though to him that hath shall be given, yet to him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he seemeth to have.
He that hath the least faith, is a resolved enemy of all sin, a resolved friend of holiness, is resolved to hang upon Christ, to cleave unto Christ, to follow him to the death in righteousness and holiness of life, though he still do question whether Christ be his or no.
Is it not thus with thee? Beware how thou catch at the forementioned comforts. Yet this let me say to thee also, if thou hast not faith, wilt thou go to Christ for faith? If thou canst not go to Christ as a Believer, wilt thou go to him as a Sinner? If thou art not yet in a state of salvation, art thou willing to be saved? Art thou willing to learn of Christ, to ask his counsel, what must I do to be saved? wilt thou go thus to Christ, Lord camest thou not into the world to save sinners? to make intercession for transgressors? to seek and to save them which are lost? Oh wilt thou save this sinner, my sinfull soul, Lord? I fear I am none of thine, but wilt thou make me thine? I come to thy door, I lye at thy feet, a poor lost soul, an undone creature; Oh wilt thou take me in, and make me one of thy Disciples? Wilt thou thus come to Christ? Even thou also art one of those that he calls to;Ma…. 9.13. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Thus much of Christs entertaining Nicodemus.
Come we now to the first general point whereof Christ discourseth with Nicodemus, and that was the Doctrine of Regeneration, in these words, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. In which we may note,
1. The manner of propounding it.
2. The matter and substance of it.
For the manner it is propounded with a double asseveration, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee. In the Greek it is Amen, foreign.Amen, which in the Hebrew signifieth truth. The asseveration is doubled, to stir up attention in Nicodemus, who being yet in great measure ignorant of the fundamental principles of Religion, might happily have lightly esteemed this doctrine of Regeneration, and therefore to stir up his attention, Christ useth this double asseveration, verily, verily, I say unto thee. Which was a form of speech often used by our Saviour when he would solemnly avouch any weighty truth. He never used it but in matters of great moment. By it therefore our Saviour giveth us to understand, that the truth here delivered is a weighty truth, not lightly to be regarded, and slightly passed over. For he who gave this commandment,Mat. 5.37. Let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, would never have added this double asseveration, if there had not been need thereof. Christ therefore having prefixed this preface to the following truths, doth thereby stir us up to give, as the more credit, so the more diligent heed thereto. Yea and thereby shews the doctrine of Regeneration to be a most important point; necessary to be known and learned of all.
The matter or substance of the Doctrine of Regeneration, as Christ hath sayd it down, followeth in these words, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
For the more profitable handling whereof, I shall,
1. Clear the words by giving you the sense and meaning of them.
2. Raise and prosecute such points of Doctrine as they afford unto us.
For the clearing of the words. Except a man. In the Greek it is,foreign Except any. This indefinite particle joyned with an exclusive hath the force of a general. As if our Saviour had said, No man can enter into heaven except he be born again; so as he speaketh not only of notorious sinners, as adulterers, drunkards, swearers, &c. but of all who are in their natural condition, though they live never so unblamably, free from all scandalous sins, if they be not born again, their civil righteousness will do them little good, for they shall never see the Kingdom of God.
Be born] Except a man be born, This is spoken metaphorically and spiritually, in allusion to our natural birth, which Nicodemus not observing, clean misconstrued Christs words.
Now this word born, or begotten, is used to shew that the whole nature of man must be changed, and in a manner new framed, not in regard of the substance, but of the qualities of it.Secundum qualitates …o… secundum ipsam vel ani-nae, vel corporis foreign. The natural essence and substance either of the soul or body is not destroyed, but still remaineth, only it is divested of the old, and invested with new qualities. He that is regenerated hath a renewed understanding, a renewed will, renewed affections, yea new desires and a new conversation. So that the meaning is, No man can enter into heaven unless by the spirit of God he be first altered and changed from what he was, even brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace, and so become a new creature, as in regard of his new manner of creation, so in regard of his new manner of conversation, leading another manner of life than he did before.
Born again] The original word translated again, is as well attributed to place, as to time, and signifieth above, as well as again, as vers. 31. (a)foreignAnd indeed this is the most usual signification of the word, and therefore some translate it so here, *foreignexcept a man be born from above, as it is in our old translation. And though our new translators of the Bible have altered it, yet have they put in the Margin from above.
But questionless in this place the word signifieth again: foreign here signifieth as much as foreignfor so Nicodemus taketh it, verse 4. how can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb, and be born? So that the word here hath respect to the time more than to the place, and implyeth the necessity of a second birth, that a man be born of the spirit, as well as born of the flesh, otherwise it had been better for him, he had never been born at all.
He cannot see the Kingdom of God] Kingdom is here taken for that happy estate whereunto God bringeth his elect in Christ, the entrance thereunto is in this life, which is commonly called the Kingdom of grace. The full possession, is in the life to come, called the Kingdom of glory. These are not two distinct Kingdoms, but two degrees of one and the same Kingdom. Now whereas Christ faith, He cannot see the Kingdom of God, it's in effect as much as, He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, as our Saviour clearly explaineth, verse 5. Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, that is, He cannot be saved.
Having thus cleared the words, by shewing you the sense and meaning of them; They afford unto us this point of Doctrine:
Doct. Regeneration is necessary to salvation: Or, To make a man a member of the invisible Church, and so a… heir of Gods Kingdom, it is necessary that he be regenerate and born again, and thereby brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace.
This very Doctrine for substance is again inculcated, verse 5. Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Now our Saviours twice repeating this Doctrine, both in verse 3. and verse 5. and in both places prefixing a double asseveration, Verily, Verily, doth notably confirm the truth of it, and therefore there needs no farther proof thereof.
But for the better conceiving, and right applying this Doctrine, I shall shew you,
1. The Nature of Regeneration, What it is.
2. The Parts of Regeneration.
3. The Causes which concurr to the work of Regeneration.
4. The Reasons proving the necessity of Regeneration to Salvation.
5. The uses of the point.