A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. An Vse of Exhortation to endeavour after Regeneration; with quickning Motives thereunto.
HAving thus done with the Explication and Confirmation of the point; Come we now to the use and Application thereof.
I. The first may be an use of Exhortation, both to the unregenerate and to the Regenerate.
First to the unregenerate: Is Regeneration absolutely necessary to Salvation? Oh then how doth it concern you who are yet in your sins, and under the power of corrupt nature, earnestly to desire, and industriously to labour after this saving change, in the use of all mea…s God hath sanctified thereunto? Let y…r outward condition be what it will, be ye never so rich, never so honourable, yet far be it from you to sit down satisfied in any condition, till you be renewed, and sanctified by the spirit of God. A…as, how many be there in the World; who though in their natural and carnal estate, yet live as securely and merrily, as if their condition were as safe and good as the best! Ask them one by one, Whether the work of Regeneration be wrought in their souls? and some will answer, they hope it is, others that they never doubted it; though none of them know what Regeneration is, nor ever minded any such thing. And yet these men have not only read, but do likewise believe the words of our Saviour, who hath told them,Joh. 3.3. that except they be born again, they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ah sinner, I beseech thee for the sake of thy precious and immortal soul, to stir up in thy self an hearty desire, and sincere endeavour after this blessed work.foreign. As it is the one thing necessary to salvation, so let it be the main thing of thy desire and endeavour. There is nothing deserves precedency in thy thoughts, aims, and labours before this.Psal. 132.4. David resolved not to give sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eye-lids, till be found out an habitation for the Lord. The habitation which pleaseth God most, is thine heart, but it must be a renewed heart. Oh how darest thou sleep a night in that house, where God doth not dwell? and he dwells not in thee, unless thou beest Regenerated by his holy Spirit. In the fear of God therefore, see thou give no rest to thy soul, no ease to thy mind, till thou find a blessed change wrought in thee, till thou findest thou art brought out of the state of nature, into the state of grace. Neither sit down satisfied in the enjoyment of any worldly comfort, without the enjoyment of this mercy. And indeed how canst thou live merrily or sleep quietly, so long as thou livest in thine unregenerate estate? in which if thou shouldest die, thou wouldest perish for ever, even to all Eternity. Especially considering the uncertainty of thy life, whether thou shalt live a day, or an hour longer.
For the more profitable handling this Use, I shall,
1. Give you some Motives to quicken up your desires and endeavours after the work of Regeneration.
2. Shew you the Means to be performed for the better artaining thereunto.
The Motives may be drawn to these three heads:
1. The Excellency.
2. The Utility.
3. The Necessity of Regeneration.
I. For the first, the Excellency thereof will appear from these four particulars:
1. Regeneration doth enoble a man, raise him up towards his Original perfection. Man was made the noblest of all creatures in this visible World, in the image and likeness of God. Sin defaced the Image of God, and stamped the Image of the Devil upon him. A sinner is a man degenerated into a beast;Psal. 49.12. Man being in honour abideth not, but is like the beasts that perish. He lives like a beast, and dies like a beast, not knowing whither he goeth. Every man is brutish in his knowledge. Jer. 10.14.He hath a brutish heart, lives a brutish life. By grace man comes to himself, is raised up from a beast to a man again, renewed after the Image of God; The spirit of glory and of God shines forth in him. There's more of the glory of God seen in a Saint, than in all the works of God under the Sun: nay than in the glorious Sun in the Heavens.In illis tantum sunt opera Dei, in hac est imago D…i. Aug. The Sun, Moon, and Stars fall short of the glory of the new-creature.
2. The Excellency of Regeneration appears, in that it makes a man a true Christian. A man is not really a Christian, because he hath been Baptized, beareth the name, and frequenteth the ordinances of Christ: but because he is Regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, and thereby translated out of a state of sin and death, into a state of life and peace.Rom. 2.28, 29. For as under the law, he was not a Iew, who was one outwardly, being circumcised in the flesh. But he was a Iew who was one inwardly, being circumcised in his heart and spirit, as the Apostle expresseth. In like manner, he is no true Christian, who is only outwardly Baptized, but he who is inwardly Baptized by the Spirit, and whose heart is changed and renewed.
3. The Excellency of this new birth appears in this, that it is the beginning of eternal life and happiness: even of the same life which we shall live hereafter in Heaven with the Saints, and glorious Angels to all Eternity. Grace here is not only an evidence of glory hereafter, but it is the beginning of that glory, which hereafter we shall more fully enjoy in Heaven: Grace and glory differ only in degree: for grace is glory begun here, and glory is grace consummated, and perfected hereafter. Now considering that this is such an excellent state, how doth it concern you as earnestly to desire, so industriously to endeavour after it, in the use of all means God hath sanctified.
II. Another Motive may be taken from the Utility of Regeneration. If it be demanded What is the profit thereof? we may answer … the Apostle did of Circumcision, Much every way. 1 Tim. 4.8.For this is that Godliness, which is profitable unto all things, having promises of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, that is, it hath Heaven and Earth entailed on it, and therefore must needs be profitable. The Regenerate therefore are called heirs of the Promises. Heb. 6.17. Jam. 2.5.Such only have the true riches, being rich in faith, as the Apostle Iames calleth them. As Laodicea was poor, though abounding in outward fulness. So these are truly rich, though destitute of many outward things, having an interest in God, who is the fountain of all blessings. How should the consideration hereof stir you up, as earnestly to thirst, so sincerely to endeavour after this blessed state!
III. Another Motive may be taken from the necessity of Regeneration. It is absolutely necessary to Salvation. It had been better for thee never to have been born, than not to be born again. It is as necessary as Heaven and happiness. For saith our Saviour himself, Except a man be born again, he cannot see, much less enter into, the Kingdom of Heaven. So that there is no hope of the Salvation of any unregenerate man, or woman: but if they live and die in that estate, their portion will be death and damnation with the Devils and damned to all Eternity. And in regard of the uncertainty of their lives, they are not sure to be out of Hell one day longer.
Ah sinner! What dost thou mean then to continue in thy carnal and unregenerate estate? As sure as the word of God is true, if thou dye therein, thou art shut out of all hope of mercy for ever: and shalt pass into easeless, and endless misery. In the fear of God therefore, when thou risest up in the Morning, consider with thy self, that thou art uncertain of being out of Hell till the Evening. And when thou lyest down, consider how uncertain thou art of being out of Hell till the next morning. Surely this consideration is enough to amaze any poor Christian who is indeed Regenerate, but maketh some question thereof in himself. How much more should it amaze, and startle thee who art yet in thy carnal and sinfull estate; and stir thee up without any farther delay to escape for thy life, and make out in hast after thy Redemption from this dreadful condition.
I would ask thee this question, Whether if thou shouldst put off thy seeking after the great work of Regeneration and conversion till another year, week, or day, thou art sure to be then on this side the grave, or on this side hell? Certain it is, thou hast no assurance of thy life for one day longer. Nay, I dare boldly say, thou thy self knowest and believest as much. Ah sinner, what folly, yea what madness is it then for thee wilfully to live one day longer in such an estate, in which if thou shouldst dye, thou art, without hope of recovery, undone for ever.
Obj. Haply thou wilt say, though I am not sure to live another day, yet I am likely, being in good health and strength of body.
Answ. How many as strong and healthfull as thy self, have suddenly by death been snatched away? And why maist not thou be as soon taken away, having no Lease of thy Life? who then but a fool or a mad-man would adventure his eternal happiness upon such an hazard? Oh therefore as thou tenderest the everlasting good of thy precious soul, put not off this great and weighty work a day longer:Prov. 27.1. for who knoweth what a day may bring forth?
Hadst thou been taken away in the state thou art in, how sad had thy case been? where hadst thou been at this hour? Certainly thou art not able to conceive the dreadfulness of that misery thou shouldst now have been in. And hast thou lived all this while in so great danger, and wilt thou live in it still? God forbid! Hath a miracle of mercy kept thee out of hell so long? and wilt thou yet continue securely in such danger of it? Oh ungratefull wretch! Questionless if thou hadst any ingenuity in thee, thou wouldst be ashamed thus to abuse the patience, and long-suffering of God towards thee; which should have led thee to repentance. Thou shouldst rather take up a resolution, and say, though I have hitherto abused the patience and long-suffering of God, I will abuse it no more. Though I have often slighted and rejected the gracious invitations of Jesus Christ, yet through the grace of God, I will reject them no more, but close with them, and give up my self unto Christ from henceforth to be ruled and governed by him.
God hath allotted to every man who lives in the bosome of the Church a certain day of grace, and time of repentance; which whosoever neglects, can never be saved. Ah sinner, as therefore thou wouldst not neglect thine own Salvation, neglect not the day of grace, neither let slip the season of mercy; but as the Apostle exhorteth,Heb. 3.15. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation; if that be once past there is no recovering it.