Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 9
Ver. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the ſonnes of God, even to them that beleeve on his Name:
13. Which were borne; not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Chriſts excellency and manifeſtation of himſelf are here ſpoken of with relation to theſe, who, at any time, do embrace his offer made in the Church: His excellency herein appeareth, 1. In prevailing with ſome to make him and his offer welcome, though many reject it. 2. In advancing them to the dignity of Adoption and ſon-ſhip, who thus embrace him: And he farther clears, how it is that men do receive Chriſt, to wit, by faith; and, whence it is that any come to beleeve, and ſo attain to the dignity of ſons; even from a principle of regeneration, which is wrought by no power of the creature, but by God only. Doct. 1. Howſoever many within the viſible Church do reject Chriſt, yet there will ſtill be ſome to make him welcome. As he never lighteth a candle, but where he hath ſome loſt groat to ſeek; So he hath excellency, even when many deſpiſe him, to allure hearts, and vertue, not to take a refuſal, but to draw his own till they be made willing; for, there are who receive him. 2. Such as make the offer of grace right welcome, do firſt welcome and receive Chriſt himſelf, not contenting themſelves with his common gifts, nor yet ſeeking firſt after his ſaving graces, but after himſelf, that he may work theſe in them; for, they receive him. 3. Chriſt is received and made welcome by faith; and all they, who, hearing of the offer made to the Church on Chriſts part, do out of the ſence of their need, embrace, and conſent and roll themſelves upon Chriſt thus offered, theſe have made up an union with him, and are beleevers, though as yet they have not attained to particular aſſurance, which is the fruit of the Spirit of Adoption, Epheſ. 1.13, 14. for, they who receive him, are even they that beleeve. 4. Such as rightly beleeve in Chriſt, ought not to take him up as in their preſumption, ſecurity, fear or diſcouragement they may imagine, but they ought to cleave cloſe to the Word revealing him, and bring all their thoughts of him to the touch-ſtone thereof, correcting them thereby, and ſubmitting thereunto; for, they beleeve on his Name, or, as he hath revealed himſelf. 5. As all ſpiritual priviledges are in Chriſts hand and diſpoſing; So, albeit we be by nature children of wrath, yet he offers reconciliation to ſuch, and whoſoever they be that by faith receive him, he conferreth upon them the priviledge to become heirs and co-heirs with himſelf, and children unto God, with allowance to call him father; And inſtead of a ſlaviſh and worldly ſpirit, and a ſpirit of fear and bondage, he giveth them the ſpirit of enlargement, and of ſons, and a diſpoſition ſutable to their dignity and high calling in every condition; for, as many (of whatſoever rank or condition) as received him, to them he gave power (or, right, priviledge and dignity) to become the ſonnes of God. 6. As it is by faith that we come to the priviledge of Adoption, by cloſing with Chriſt the onelyonly begotten Son; ſo when we have beleeved, adoption is ſtill his gift, it being ſtill of grace that he exalts us to that dignity; and when we have done all, the comfort of that dignity muſt be his work, by ſending the ſpirit of ſonnes into our hearts, to loaſe our bands and elevate our hearts; for, he gave power to become the ſons of God. 7. Every one who is adopted to be a ſon of God, muſt have a new birth and ſpiritual being in Chriſt, by a change of diſpoſition, and qualities of the ſoul going along with that priviledge, to prove the truth of it; for, theſe ſons of God are borne, to wit, again; By this change they will be led to eſteeme highly of this dignity, 1 John 3.1. to ſtudy conformity with Chriſt their elder brother, Rom. 8.29. and to performe obedience, whatever they can attain to, with childrens diſpoſitions, out of fear to offend their Father, 1 Pet. 1.14. which are the kindly evidences of adoption. 8. Faith and receiving of Chriſt is ſo much the gift of God, as firſt by regeneration, Chriſt muſt make an inward offer, and joyne himſelf to us, and give us this hand to grip, before we can by faith actively receive him, or ſet about the work of ſanctification by faith; for, all who beleeve on his Name, were born again. 9. The change of man out of nature into grace, is a kind of new birth of the man, in producing whereof there will be ſome travelling in pain, by it there is brought forth a proportionable new man of grace; ſpreading it ſelf (though weakly as in the natural man) through the whole man; alſo a new life, and likeneſſe to the Father, an appetite after food ſutable to that life, and a being ſenſible of hurt from what is contrary to this life; for, ſo is imported in that they are borne. 10. Regeneration cometh not by natural generation, or by the dignity of mens race and deſcent from pious progenitors, for, they were borne not of blood, or of bloods, that is, by deſcent from their anceſtors of many generations, of which the Jewes boaſted. 11. Mens freewill, or natural power, is quite dead in the matter of regeneration, its utmoſt endeavours can contribute nothing to this work; for, they were borne, not of the will, or the ſtrongeſt inclinations, of the fleſh: 12. Whatever ſingular endowments of learning, wiſdome, or valour men have, yet none of theſe do prove regeneration, nor can they contribute any thing to ſuch a work; for, they were borne, not of the will of man, or, of famous and vertuous men, as the word in the Original often ſignifieth. 13. Regeneration is Gods own work, who employeth his Word as the ſeed, 1 Pet. 1.23. ſendeth his Miniſters as inſtruments to ſowe this ſeed, Gal. 4.19. and who quickeneth this ſeed by the Spirit, who is the immediate worker of regeneration in order of operation, John 3.6, 8. And ſo, whatever excellency regenerate men may have they are ſtill bound to acknowledge that grace prevented them, and made them to differ from others; for, they were born, not of any thing, but of God.