God-Man, Exposition · Verse 13
Verſ. 13. Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This verſe containeth a further deſcription of them that received Chriſt. They were deſcribed in the 12 Verſe by their faith. And in this 13 Verſe, they are deſcribed, by their birth. To them that believe in his Name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Their birth: concerning which, we are here told,
Firſt, what is not the efficient Cauſe of it.
Secondly, what is.
Firſt, what is not the efficient Cauſe of it.
Three things are here removed.
1. Blood.
2. The will of the fleſh.
3. The will of man.
Secondly, what is: God, and God onelyonly. I ſhall take the Clauſes, as they lye in order.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew; That Believers, as ſuch, are not born of blood.
Secondly, That they are born, not of the will of the fleſh.
Thirdly, not of the will of man. But,
Fourthly, they are born of God.
Firſt, Believers, as ſuch, They are not born of blood, 1. Believers are not born of blood.what is that?
Ye know in our ordinary manner of ſpeech, we are uſed to make mention, of baſe blood, Noble blood, blood Royall; and accordingly, they are ſaid to be born of blood, to intimate, that they have not grace from their Anceſtors. It doth not come to them by deſcent. We ſay of many diſeaſes, that ſuch, and ſuch, come of a blood, becauſe they are derived from parents. They are not born of blood; to ſhew that the work of grace is not derived from one's Anceſtors. Therefore the word in the originall is, foreign, we are not born of bloods. We may think it on purpoſe to be put in, to meet with that miſtake of the bragging of the Jewes, who ſtill boaſt to be the ſons of Abraham, Joh. 6. Now becauſe, they did not ſo much bear themſelves upon their immediate Progenitors, as upon their Fore-fathers farre remote; Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, not of blood, of immediate parents, nor of parents long before born: It came from neither of theſe. It is an uſuall manner of ſpeech. As he ſpeaketh of a man, that bragged of his birth, Longo ſanguine ſincere, To fetch Commendations from the blood of our Progenitors, of the blood of many genetations together. So that the meaning of this phraſe is, That the new birth cometh not by propagation, Grace cometh not by deſcent, Not of blood. If it had gone along with the Kindred, Certainly, ſo holy a Virgin as Mary was, yea, the holy One himſelf, Chriſt Jeſus, would not have had any unholy people of his Kindred. And yet ſuch there Three demonſtrations, that believers are not born of blood. 1. Becauſe good parents, have bad, as well as good Children. 2. Becauſe bad parents have good Children, and good parents bad Children in a line. 2 Chron. 28. 27. 2 Chron. 32. 33. 2 Chron. 32. 25. 2 Chron. 36. 1. 3. Becauſe, the younger many times hath the greateſt ſhare in ſpirituall things. Gen. 4. 4. Gen. 21. 14. Rom. 9. 13.were, John 11. 10. Neither did his Brethren believe in Him.
I ſhall give you three Demonſtrations to make it appear That believers, as ſuch, are not born of blood.
Firſt, Becauſe many good parents, have bad Children, as well as good ones. Adam had Cain, as well as Abel. And Abraham, Iſmael, as well as Iſaac. And Iſaac, Eſau, as well as Jacob. And Jacob had Simeon and Levi, as well as Joſeph and Benjamin.
Secondly, It appeareth, becauſe ſometimes good parents have bad Children, and bad parents have good Children, in a line. Look into the Chronicles, ye ſhall find that bad Ahaz had good Hezechiah, good Hezechiah had wicked Manaſſes, ſo he was for a great part of his life. And wicked Manaſſes, had good Joſiah; and good Joſiah, had wicked Jehoaz. Good parents, bad Children, and bad Children, good parents.
Thirdly, It appeareth, becauſe the younger many times hath the greater ſhare in ſpirituall things, whereas, if grace were a naturall priviledge, the greateſt ſhare would go to them firſt. The firſt-born in all naturall priviledges, hath a double portion. But the Scriptures, and many times our own experiences will ſhew, that the firſt-born hath the leaſt ſhare here; therefore, this is not a naturall priviledge. God accepted Abel the younger, and not Cain. Iſaac findeth more acceptation then Iſmael. God loved Jacob the younger, and hated Eſau the elder, and ſo in many other inſtances. Grace doth not come by propagation, Believers are not born of blood.
Whereas, it may be objected, that Parents beget Children Object. after their own Image, It is ſaid of Adam, Gen. 5. 3. He begot a ſon in his own Likeneſſe, after his own Image. Therefore it ſhould ſeem, that godly Parents muſt needs have godly Children; otherwiſe, how do they beget them, after their own Image?
The anſwer is eaſie. They beget Children, as men, not, Anſw. as Saints. It is a certain Rule, Perſonalia non propagantur. Things that are perſonall, are not propagated. Now grace is a perſonall thing, not a naturall thing. A learned, and a godly man, begetteth a ſon, that is a man; but neither learned, nor godly, becauſe learning is an acquired habit, and godlineſſe is infuſed. And a man conveyeth what is naturall, not what is acquired. He that is begotten of him, is not a Scholler, much leſſe a Saint; becauſe holineſſe is ſupernaturall, beyond him. As it is with the Corn; it is threſhed, and ſevered from the Chaffe, before it is ſown, but then it bringeth forth the blade, and husk, and afterward the eare of Corn. The Circumciſed parent begetteth a Child, that is born uncircumciſed, becauſe his Circumciſion is not propagated. So it is here, a father that is free from the power of ſin▪ and guilt of ſin, by the work of grace upon his heart; yet begetteth a Child, that is contrary to both theſe.
How then is it ſaid, That if the Root be holy, the branches Object. are holy? That is a further Objection, that ye have, Rom. 11. 16. If the firſt-fruits be holy, the lump is alſo holy. If the root be holy, ſo alſo is the branches?
This is to be underſtood not of a perſonall holineſſe, Anſw. which is an inherent quality; But of a federall holineſſe, which is of Relation, for that the root was holy. The Jewiſh parents were in the outward Covenant of God, being members of the viſible Church, therefore their Branches were partakers of a faederall holineſſe; but it doth not follow as to perſonall holineſſe. A man may at once be a child of wrath, in regard of the common condition of man in Adam; and yet be holy, in regard of the Covenant made in Abraham, That God would be his God, and the God of his ſeed. Well then, if it be thus, that believers, as ſuch, as are not born of blood; Let it ſerve to take men off, from their boaſting of their Anceſtors and Deſcent, of comming of this or that Family and Blood: It were worth the bragging of, if Grace came by Propagation. But ſeeing it doth not, Non ſanguine, ſed virtute nitamur, Let us not rely upon Blood, but upon Virtue, ſaith the Heathen. Let me ſay, Upon Chriſt, and, in that ſenſe, upon Blood, There is one Blood we may rely upon, but it is the Blood of Chriſt, the Blood of the everlaſting Covenant; otherwiſe, there is no great difference in point of Blood, between men and men. Act. 17. 26. God hath made of one blood all nations of men, that dwell on all the face of the earth. All men out of one blood. The pooreſt Beggar commeth from Adam, who was Lord of all the world, as well as the greateſt Potentate upon earth; ſo as No glorying in any blood, but the Blood of Chriſt.there is no glorying in any blood, but in the Blood of Chriſt; he that hath a conſcience ſprinkled with that, he hath cauſe of glorying; He that glorieth, let him glory in this, that he knoweth me. Saith Prudentius, Sanguis Chriſti facit hominem eſſe nobilem; That which maketh a man noble; is, to have Chriſt's Blood in him, it is to be one of Chriſt's followers. It was that that ennobled the Beroeans, Act. 17. 11. Theſe (ſpeaking of the Beroeans) were more noble than thoſe in Theſſalonica, in that they received the word with all readineſſe of mind, and ſearched the Scriptures daily. The word in the Greek is, foreign, Theſe were better born than thoſe of Theſſalonica. He is well born that is new born. Here is a Blood to confide in. This is a Blood that cannot be tainted. The beſt blood may be tainted, Great men may become Traitors, and ſo taint their blood. Here is a Blood without poſſibility of tainture, that waſheth white whereſoever it commeth.
Secondly, Believers, They are not born of the will of the 2. They are not born of the will of the fleſh.fleſh. By the will of the fleſh, I underſtand, the will of a man in the ſtate of corruption, as long as he is nothing but fleſh; That which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh, Joh. 3. And then the meaning is, That no man can attain Grace, or the Newbirth, by the utmoſt improvement of his own free-will, while he is yet in the ſtate of corruption. No man, by the utmoſt improvement of nature, can raiſe himſelf to grace. No man, that is yet in the fleſh, by the improvement of the will of the fleſh, can become a ſpirituall man. No creature can raiſe it ſelf to an higher rank of creatures; a Stone cannot make it ſelf a Tree, to have grouth and life; nor can a Tree make it ſelfe a Beaſt, to have Senſe; nor can a Beaſt make it ſelf a Man, to have Reaſon; nor can a meer Rationall man make himſelf a Saint, by the improvement of his own Free-will, as the holy Ghoſt telleth us, Rom. 9. 16. So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. Not of him that willeth, by deſiring; nor of him that runneth, by endeavouring; but of God that ſheweth mercy. He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. Rom. 9. 15.He will have mercy on Sion, therefore he putteth forth grace to make it free, otherwiſe it would be in bondage for ever. This is the great queſtion between the Arminians, at this day, and us Proteſtants. The will of man doth never attain grace by its own liberty, but the will of man attaineth liberty by grace. It is ſo far free, that the grace of God will make it free; otherwiſe, it hath no freedom at all to God, much leſſe is it free to raiſe it ſelf to a ſtate of grace. As we are not born of blood, ſo not of the will of the fleſh.
That man is not able to do any thing that is good, by the power of his own free-will, I ſhall demonſtrate it, by an Man cannot do good by the power of his own free-will.argument taken from the impotency of the will of the fleſh. The Apoſtle ſaith expreſly, While we are without Chriſt, we are without ſtrength, and ſo unable to do any ſpirituall good, Rom. 5. 6. When we were yet without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt died for the ungodly. No ſupernaturall ſtrength in a naturall man. The will of the fleſh can but follow the guidance of the wiſdom of the fleſh; now, the wiſdom of the fleſh, ſaith Paul, that is enmity againſt God. Therefore the will of the fleſh never riſeth to friendſhip with him. Rom. 8. 7, 8. Becauſe the carnall mind, foreign, the wiſdom of the fleſh is enmity againſt God, for it is not ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the fleſh, cannot pleaſe God. This is a deep myſtery, this of the free-will of man: but I am not willing to wade into the depth of the Controverſie; onelyonly I ſhall ſay ſomething by the way to you.
Know therefore this, that at the firſt, the freedom of the Freedome of of will, at firſt ſtood in indifferency to good, and evill.will in intelligent creatures, Angels and Men, ſtood in an Indifferency to good and evill; yet ſo, as look what way the will betaketh it ſelf, to that it ſhall be confined for time to come. If it chuſe good, it ſhall be permanent in chuſing good; if evill, it ſhall be able to chuſe nothing elſe. The good Angels choſe that which was good, and the bent of their hearts will continue the right way; therefore now they are confirmed in goodneſſe, and are free to nothing elſe. The bad Angels, they choſe what was evill; therefore they are now left to the obduration of their own hearts, and can do nothing, nor will nothing, but what is evill. Man, who though made in an holy ſtate, yet was mutable; and having a will ſubject to change, fell upon the worſt part, choſe evill, whereas he might have choſen good; and ever ſince, all his poſterity by nature are able to do nothing elſe. Radix peccati, libertas; this freedom of will was the very root, from whence the firſt ſin ſprung. Therefore, ever ſince the firſt fall, the will hath been deeper in evill than the underſtanding. The will is more a verſe from chuſing good, than the mind from defiring good; as *Medaea.ſhe ſaid,—video meliora, probo que Deteriora ſequor—Many things which our judgments are againſt, our affections are enclined to. So that now, no man hath farther freedom of will to do good, than his will is made free by grace; ſo much free-grace as is communicated, ſo much free-will a man hath, and not a whit more. The fleſh contributeth nothing to the free-will, to do good. Not of the will of the fleſh.
True indeed, in naturall things, as eating and drinking; Freedome of will, in things Naturall and Civill, and Outward acts of Religion.and civill things, as buying, and ſelling, and marrying, and giving in marriage; there is a freedom of will to do this or that. It is true alſo, that in the outward acts of Religion, the free-will of man, aſſiſted by common-grace, may chuſe what is good. A man may will to go to Church, rather than ſtay at home; and when he is there, he may liſten to what is ſaid, and meditate of what he hath heard; and when he is come home, repeat it. A great deal of uſe men may have of this freedom, as to the outward act of Religion. It is for want of improving that power, which God giveth to men in ſuch acts, that they periſh. But neither have men abilities, by the improvement of them, nor free-will, to do any of thoſe acts, (when a man, by nature, cannot turn himſelf to to any ſpirituall duty) in a ſpirituall way; That requireth an aſſiſtance of ſpeciall grace. Neither have they abilities to do thoſe more ſupernaturall acts, which immediately accompany ſalvation, in any meaſure, by the power of their own free-will; they cannot do any outward act of Religion well: The Bonum and Bene cannot be done, without ſpeciall grace. As, Take an Hatchet that is ſharp; this, in the hand of a common man, will cut, becauſe it hath a capacity that way; but to make a Table, or Stool, or Statue, that, requireth influentiam Artificis; it is not a common hand that can do that, there muſt be the hand of an Artificer. So, though the free-will of man may do an outward act, in the worſhip of God; yet, to do this act well, requireth a further influence, than the common providence of God, aſſiſting all his creatures. So it will be found much more, if we come to thoſe acts upon which ſalvation dependeth. Turning to Chriſt, and believing in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and loving God for himſelf; theſe, the will of man improved, cannot riſe to. No man can repent, till he be turned, Jer. 39. 19. After that I was turned, I repented; firſt turned, and then repented; not, I turned my ſelf firſt, and repented afterwards. As it was in the firſt Creation, ye know what is ſaid of Adam, Gen. 2. 23. The Lord God formed man of the duſt of the ground, and breathed into his noſtrills the breath of life, and man became a living ſoul. Here is a duſt-heap, Can that become a man? No, unleſſe God breathe the breath of life. Here is an unregenerate man, Can that man become regenerate? No, unleſſe the ſame power goeth forth, to make a new creature here, that went forth in the firſt Creation. Epheſ. 2. 10. We are his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works. Creation was out of nothing, nothing in corrupt nature will ſerve for the new building. There are the faculties and ſubſtance of the ſoul, that God makes uſe God makes uſe of the Faculties, not of the Qualities of the Soul.of; but the qualities, not one of them will ſerve. Old things are done away, all things are become new, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5. 17. So as, when God createth grace in the ſoul, he doth ſomething anſwerable to what he did, when he breathed life into that duſt. OnelyOnly with this difference, God made Adam at firſt in his full ſtature, a perfect man; whereas, when the new creature is framed, there muſt be a growing up to perfection. There is a perfection of parts indeed, in the firſt draught of the new creatures; not onelyonly a new heart, but a new tongue, a new hand, and a new underſtanding, and will, but there wanteth a perfection of degrees, which was in Adam. Therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaks of growing up to a full ſtature. But as to the thing in hand; There is an utter inability in nature, to raiſe it ſelfe to grace, as in that duſt, to make it ſelfe a man.
Many Intricac…es are in this point. As I am loath to handle them, ſo, loath am I, to wave them altogether; Only, becauſe ſomething haply may not be fit for this Auditory, let us content our ſelves with this. That the ſame power, The ſame power that made the Creature, muſt make the new-Creature.which made man at firſt, a Creature, muſt go to make him a new-Creature. There is none of that power in corrupt nature; therefore, men may not be born of the will of the fleſh, Epheſ. 1. 19. ſpeaking of a mighty power, working in them that believe. What is the exceeding greatneſſe of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed Him from the dead. The ſame power that went to the Creation of man, the ſame power that went to the Reſurrection of Chriſt, muſt go to man's Converſion; Faith cannot be wrought without it. Therefore it is called the faith of the operation of God, Col. 2. 12. Ye are riſen with Him, through the faith of the operation of God. Faith can neither be begotten, without much power, nor continued without much power, 1 Theſ. 1. 11. Fulfilling all the good pleaſure of his goodneſſe, and the work of faith with power. So then, not to intangle our ſelves in this Controverſie, let us make uſe of what hath been ſaid.
Learn from hence, To deteſt all the dictates, and Tenents Vſe 1 of the Adverſaries of the free grace of God; all To deteſt the Tenents of the adverſaries of Free-grace.thoſe Doctrines that aſcribe our new birth, either in whole, or in part, to the will of the fleſh. The firſt great Hereticks that were, ſtruck all at the diſparagement of God, and their Hereſies were againſt the Trinity of Perſons, or againſt the Divinity of Chriſt, or againſt the proceeding of the Holy Ghoſt; ſomething that concerned God. And when the Divill was beaten from this Hold, he betook himſelfe to a new one. He would not now diſparage God, but advance Man; as the Pelagians do. As if man by his own will, and liberty might make choice of Chriſt. Hence it is, that the proud Dutch man, when he was urged with that place of the Apoſtle; Who hath made thee to differ? dared to return this abominable ſpeech (for I can call it no other) Who hath made me to differ? Why, Ego feci meipſum. I have made my ſelfe to differ. God gave me Blaſphemy.a power to will, but my will determined it ſelf, to lay hold on Chriſt. Thus to teach, That God giveth a Poſſe velle, to have power to do good; but, when grace hath done all it can, a man is left to his own liberty, to chuſe, or refuſe; What is this, but to aſcribe ſalvation to our ſelves, more than to God.
Secondly, The willing of good, is good. And a greater Vſe 2 thing, then having power to will what is good. If I have The willing of good is good, &c.onelyonly power to will from God, and have the will of what is good my ſelfe, I give more to Will, than what is due to Grace. God doth not onelyonly inable us to will, if we pleaſe, but maketh us willing, Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleaſure. Therefore, while others do cry up the great Diana of the Pelagians and Arminians, Great is the Free-will of Man, inabling to do great things for us; Let us, that profeſſe our ſelves Diſciples of grace, rather cry as the builders of the ſecond Temple, Zach. 4. Grace, Grace, Great is the Grace of God. We are born not of the will of the fleſh, but of God.
Thirdly, As not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, 3. They are not born of the will of men.ſo not of the will of man. Some obſcurity is in this phraſe. It is ſomething hard to clear it, if we look onelyonly to our Engliſh expreſſion. But know that both in Hebrew, and in Greek, and Latin, are two words for Man. The one whereof is raiſed much higher in its ſignification, than the other. In the Hebrew, Iſh, and Adam. In Greek, foreign, and foreign. In Latin, Vir, and Homo, Adam, and foreign, and Homo, Theſe terms are put for man in his loweſt condition; when they are diſtinct one from another. I will not deny, but they may ſometimes be uſed, without that difference in Scripture. But now, Iſh, and foreign, and Vir, import men of note, Eminent men. The word in the Text is foreign, not of the will of man. As before, he had excluded our owne wills, from being able to bring us to grace; ſo here, he excludeth the will of others, be they never ſo eminent. Iſh is put for men of eminency, Gen. 45. 11. ſaith Jacob to his Children, Carry down the Man a preſent. That is, the Governour of the Land, Joſeph. But above all, an undeniable place is in the Prophe, where ye have both Iſh, and Adam. The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himſelfe. Adam is the mean Man. The great man, that is Iſh. So for Homo, and Vir. It is a known ſtory of Diogenes, that went in the day time, with a Candle, and Lant-horn in the ſtreets, and being asked, Whither he went? ſaith he, I go to ſeek a Man. The reply was, There were enow in the Market place. Nay, ſaith he; I ſee many people, but I cannot find a Man amongſt them all. As in Engliſh, we ſay, Such a one, ſheweth himſelfe a Man, that is, exceeding worthily. So then, we are not born of the will of men, that is, Men, how Eminent ſoever, be their fathers never ſo godly, or Paſtors never ſo able, or the Maſters of the family, never ſo Eminent. As our owne wills cannot bring us to grace, ſo the will of others cannot, how eminent ſoever they be. Men may wiſh us well, but they cannot convey grace to us. This I take to be the meaning of this phraſe, It is a truth, that no man is born of the will of men. We may pray for one another, and inſtruct one another, and ſpend many words, and tears, and prayers, for one another; and yet cannot bring one another to grace for all this. Neither is it in vain, that the Evangeliſt inſerteth this Clauſe: Becauſe it is the common deceit of men; And all they have to ſhew for the hope of ſalvation, is, that they live in a good family, and have a godly Father, and a religious Mother, or a carefull Paſtor, that taketh a great deal of pains amongſt them. Micah, what a glad man was he, though he had been a Thief, Judges 2. 17. For he had ſtollen eleven hundred ſhekles of Silver from his Mother, and he was an Idolater, Verſ. 5. For he worſhipped moulten gods: yet when he got a Miniſter to his mind, Certainly, ſaith he, now know I, that the Lord will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt, as if the will of this man could have helped him to the new birth.
But ye will ſay, one may be born of the will of men. Object. Doth not Paul himſelf ſay, he had begotten them. Though ye have many Teachers, ye have but one Father, ſaith he, for I have begotten you in Chriſt through the Goſpell, 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though ye have ten Thouſand Inſtructers in Chriſt, yet have ye not many fathers. Therefore one may be born of men.
But for that, it is a matter of no great difficulty. The Anſ. Corinthians were indeed begotten of Paul, but yet they were born of God. Paul was but God's Inſtrument, but a Remote Agent, the man that brought them the Goſpell: but that which begot them, was the Spirit that came along from God in the Goſpell. Paul begot them Inſtrumentally, God Effic…ently. Though Paul was a powerfull Miniſter, whence he had all his power, you may ſee. He that wrought effectually in Peter, the ſame was mighty in me towards the Gentiles. Paul's miniſtry was mighty. How came this to paſſe? Why, Chriſt wrought effectually in Peter, and was mighty in Paul. Miniſters may preach out their Lungs, and ſpend their ſtrength in vain, if God ſtrike not in; They may fiſh all night, and take nothing, as Peter did. It is Chriſt, that ſtandeth at the door, and knocks, as it is in the Revelations, yea, and openeth the door, as well as knocketh; God opened the heart of Lydia. Till Chriſt ſpeaketh Ephata to the ears of men, all the preaching in the World will do them little, or no good. Be the Charmer never ſo wiſe, the deaf Adder ſtoppeth his ear, till Chriſt ſpeaketh Ephata.
Come therefore, Let men learn from hence, not to preſume Caution, not to preſume, becauſe we live under the means of grace.under the means by which they live, as if means of grace, ſhould be Authors of grace to them, as if they could be born of the will of men. Parents may put up many prayers for their Children; and it is their duties ſo to do. Theſe prayers may be a ground of hope to the parents. As Ambroſe told Monica, when ſhe acquainted him with the many tears, and prayers, ſhe had put up for her ſon-Auguſtine; He ſaid, Be of good Comfort, It can hardly be, that ſo many prayers, and tears ſhould periſh. So a child cannot be born of the will of the father, be the father never ſo good a man; Though this may do much, as Samuel told the men of Iſraell he would do his duty. God forbid, ſaith he, that I ſhould ceaſe to pray for you, and to watch over you, 1 Sam. 12. 23, 24. But I will teach you the good and the right way: onelyonly fear the Lord, and ſerve Him in truth with all your hearts; for conſider, how great things He hath done for you. But if ye ſhall ſtill do wickedly, ye ſhall be conſumed both you, and your King. For all his inſtructions, and prayers, they ſhall be conſumed in their wickedneſſe; It is a great advantage to live in a godly family, but can this bring a man to grace? we read of Hypocrites in David's family, Thou Achitophel.my friend, and familiar, with whom I took ſweet Counſell, It was he that betrayed him. Was there not a devil in Chriſt's family? I have choſen you twelve, and one of you is a Devill. What a powerfull Miniſter was the Prophet Iſaiah, Judas.the moſt Evangelicall of all the Prophets; and yet ſee how he crieth out of the unprofitableneſſe of his Miniſtry, as to his people's ſouls, Iſa. 49. 4. I ſaid, I have laboured in vain, and ſpent my ſtrength for nought, and in vain. So Paul, though he laboured more aboundantly then all the Apoſtles; he was afraid, he had loſt all his labour amongſt the Galathians. Therefore ſaith he, I am afraid, leſt I have beſtowed on you labour in vain. I may ſay to you of this City of London, as it was ſaid to the Rich man of his brethren that were upon the earth; They have Moſes, and the Prophets, let them hear them. Ye will all aſſent to this, If a man will ſay, This City had never more of Moſes, and the Prophets, then at this day: but will this bring you to grace? Can ye be born of the will of your Miniſters, though they wiſh you never ſo well, and take never ſo much pains for you? No, you muſt ioyne your owne indeavours, with the Miniſter's labours, elſe they will be ineffectuall; yea, God himſelfe muſt joyne his bleſſing, both to your Indeavours, and our labours; elſe ye can never be born again. It muſt not be of the will of man, but of God; Which I now come to.
Fourthly, All believers are born of God, and onelyonly of God, 4. All believers are born of God.All believers are new born; This we muſt clear to you. There is an inſeperable Connexion between faith, and the new birth. So it runneth in the Text, foreign, To them that believe in his Name, who were born of God. Faith, and the new Creature, are ſo inſeperable, that Paul putteth the one, for the other. If ye compare theſe two places in the Galathians, Gal. 5. 6. with Gal. 6. 15. In Jeſus Chriſt, neither Circumciſion nor uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but Faith which worketh by love. What is that? ſee the fifteenth Verſe of the ſixth Chapter, Neither Circumciſion, nor uncircumciſion, but a new Creature. New Creature, and Faith, is all one; where faith is, there is a new Creature. So then, All believers are new born, and new born of God; becauſe, as ye have heard already, (which will ſave me a labour to exemplifie this.) It requireth a Divine power to beget a man to Chriſt, Jam. 1. 18. Of his owne will begot he us with the Word of Truth, Of his owne will begot he us. To make a man partaker of godlineſſe, there muſt go Divine power, as Peter ſaith, 2 Pet. 1. 3. According to his Divine power, He hath given us all things pertaining to Life, and Godlineſſe; Such a power as went to the Regeneration requireth a greater power then Creation.Creation, yea, a greater power then went to the Creation, if a greater can be. God putteth forth a further act of power in Regeneration, then in Creating men, and the whole World at firſt; becauſe there was then nothing to reſiſt. God ſpake the Word, and there was no oppoſition made. Let there be light, and there was light, Let the waters be gathered together, and they were gathered together into one Channell. But when God cometh here to Convert, all is up in arms, Corrupt nature ſtruggleth for it ſelfe, and the Devill, likely to be thrown out of his hold, maketh the beſt of it that he can, and muſters all his forces to maintain his poſſeſſion; here is required a greater power, becauſe of reſiſtance, which was not in the former work. Would not a man ſay, if he ſhould go into a Potters ſhop, or Glaſſehouſe, that a man might ſooner make a thouſand pots, or glaſſes, then when a pot or glaſſe is broken all to pieces, to make it whole again; That is a much greater work. This is the caſe here: In the Creation, God brought all things out of nothing. Here is but one ſingle work. But when he comes now to regenerate, he findeth men's hearts broken to pieces, and he muſt make them ſound again. That is a further work, a double work. He muſt pull down the old building, and ſet up a new frame, none of the old, not a ſtick will ſerve. Old things are done away, all things are Cor. 2. 5. 17.become new. Therefore it is, that all the works of the Creation, though an Almighty work, is but the finger as it were of God. When I conſider the Heavens, the work of thy fingers. The works of man's Redemption, and Converſion, require the whole arme. So ſpeaking of God, after the manner of men, for to him all things are alike eaſie, Luk. 1. 51. He hath ſhewed ſtrength with his arme, ſpeaking of the work of our Redemption by Chriſt. Who hath believed our Report? To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? That which is manifeſt in the Goſpell, that telleth us of our Redemption, ſaying, It is the arm of God. At the firſt, it was but a word. Let there be light, and it was ſo. The work of our Redemption coſt not onelyonly words, but tears, and ſweat, and blood, and the Life of our Saviour. God breathed the breath of Life into man, that he might revive him, and become a new Creature. So that this work conſidered, one cannot be born again of any, but of God.
I proceed now to the Application. If believers are born Vſe 1 of God, then it calleth upon them to be thankfull to God This preſſeth thankfulneſſe, for our new birth.for their new birth. They have received that from the hands of God, that the reſt of the World are ſtrangers to. They are better born then others; that is the word, the Apoſtle uſeth, Acts 17. 11. We ſtand ingaged to the whole Trinity for this bleſſing. Behold what manner of love, the Father hath ſhewed unto us? We owe our new birth to God the Father. And to the Son too, Iſai. 9. 6. The name of Chriſt is the Everlaſting Father. And, to God the Holy Ghoſt, Joh. 3. 5. Except we be born again of Water, and of the Spirit, born of the Spirit; To thend, we may be the more 3. Graces and priviledges that accompany new birth.ſenſible of this ineſtimable bleſſing, conſider the graces and priviledges that accompany this new birth. I will name but three.
Firſt, Is likeneſſe to God: We are ſo born of God, as to 1. Is likeneſſe to God:bear his Image, to be righteous, as he is righteous, 1 Joh. 2. ult. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one which doth righteouſneſſe, is born of him. It is true of all the Creatures, They are made of God: But it is true onelyonly of Saints, They are born of God. Therefore, though every Creature hath ſomething of God in him; yet a Saint hath more: All have the foot-ſteps of God, but Believers have his Image. They repreſent him, as a man's ſon repreſents his father. There may be the Image of a man taken in a Picture, that may ſhew ſomething of him; and his Image in a glaſſe, that ſheweth more, that repreſenteth his motion, which the other doth not; But his Image in his ſon, that is the moſt lively of all, that repreſenteth his diſpoſition. Such an Image of God is in every Saint, it repreſents the quality of God, and the diſpoſition of him. He is made partaker of the Divine nature.
Secondly, There is in him a love to God, and to the Saints, 2. Love to God, and to the Saints.which is another adjunct of the new birth, of which, 1 Joh. 4. 7. compared with, 1 Joh. 5. 1. verſ. Beloved, Let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God, Chap. 5. 1. Whoſoever believeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is born of God, and every one that loveth him that begetteth, loveth him that is begotten of him. Firſt, here is love to God, the Common father of all the Saints. It is true in this Caſe, Amor deſcendit, ſed non ſemper aſcendit. Love amongſt men deſcendeth, It goeth down from the Parent, to the Child; but it doth not alwayes aſcend from the Child, to the Parent. But here, as there is a love deſcending to us, ſo from us aſcending to God. As the Iron that is touched with the Load-ſtone, hath an inclination of following the Load-ſtone: So when God hath touched the ſoul with Love, it leaveth an inſtinct behind it, of following after God. As every one that is new born, hath a love to God, ſo hath he alſo to the Saints. He that loveth him that begetteth, loveth him alſo that is begotten of him. Look as it is in nature. Light ye know is the prime object of ſight. It is the principall viſible object, and the more of light in any thing, the more viſible that thing is. So Chriſt is the principall object of a Chriſtians love; and the more of Chriſt is in any perſon, the more lovely Chriſt the principall object of a Chriſtian's love.that perſon is, in a Chriſtian's eyes. The object that ſtandeth moſt in the light, is moſt ſeen; and the Saint, that hath moſt of Chriſt in him, is moſt beloved by every one that is new-born, when they come to diſcern that amiableneſſe in him.
3. The third thing that accompanieth this new-birth, is, 3. Victory over ſpirituall enemies.Victory over ſpirituall enemies, which doth exceedingly raiſe the priviledge of being born of God. Victory over the world, and victory over the devill, ye have them both, 1 Joh. 5. 4. Whatſoever is born of God, overcommeth the world. It is true, Regenerate perſons may get many a blow and knock from the world, and many times be foiled too; and from the frowns and flatteries of the world, a Saint may be worſted. As it is, when a thief ſetteth upon a man in the highway, and aimeth at his purſe; he may ſtand in his own defence, and haply receive ſome wounds, or blowes; but yet, the thief is not able to take his purſe from him. Here a man commeth off a conquerour, though not without blows. So, Whatſoever is born of God, overcometh the world, becauſe, in the iſſue, Grace getteth the upper-hand. Though he that is born of God may be conquered; yet, That which is born of God cannot be conquered. It is not, Whoſoever is born of God; but, Whatſoever is born of God. There is an Emphaſis in that. As a victory over the world attendeth this new-birth, ſo a victory over the devill too: 1 Joh. 5. 18. We know, that whoſoever is born of God, ſinneth not. But he that is begotten of God, keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not. He ſinneth not, ſo as to be touched by that wicked one. Take them together, that is, He ſinneth not againſt the holy Ghoſt; ſinneth not, ſo as to be devillified. He that is once a child of God, never becomes a child of the devill. That is the meaning of that, That wicked one toucheth him not: Not, but that That wicked one, the devill, may annoy a Saint, and foil him many times; but not with that which the Schools call, Tactus qualificativus, ſuch a touch as altereth the nature of a thing. As for example, Men that ſpeak of the Philoſopher's Stone, they ſuppoſe it to have ſuch a property in it, as when it toucheth the metal, it turneth it into Gold. Such a property the Spirit of God hath upon the ſoul of man; when it toucheth the ſoul, it putteth a divine nature into it. Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, The wicked one toucheth him not, ſo as to alter him, and to turn him into his own nature, and make him as very a devill as himſelf; which they, that have ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt, do. Becauſe, even as very a devill as Satan is, he that is once made partaker of the divine Nature, cannot be touched ſo, as to be made partaker of the diabolicall nature.
Secondly, This may ſerve in the next place, To undeceive 2. To undeceive carnall Profeſſors.carnall Profeſſors, that ſtand ſo much upon their faith, and have no new birth to ſhew; that ſay, They have believed ever ſince they were born; when as indeed, no man can believe till he be born again. There is an inſeparable connexion between theſe two, Faith, and the New-creature; the Evangeliſt John putteth them together, To thoſe that believe in his name, who are born of God. Whereſoever Chriſt is received by faith, there he doth renew the ſoul, as well as ſave it. He bringeth with him plaiſters, that do not onelyonly hide ſin, but heal it; not onelyonly cover it, but cure it. He bringeth with him not onelyonly pardoning mercy, but purging mercy, and renewing grace. And therefore it is in vain for men to call themſelves believers, if they be not new-born. The Pleas of carnall Profeſſors. 1. They are baptized.Some pleas indeed they have, which I will briefly anſwer.
Firſt, They are baptized, and therefore born again; their baptiſm is the Laver of Regeneration. That is all ſome have to ſhew.
Whether that place, Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of the new-birth, and the renewing of the holy Ghoſt, be meant primitively of Baptiſm, yea or no, may be diſputed. But I wave that.
Secondly, Thoſe that aſcribe moſt efficacy to Baptiſm, they ſay, That Infants Elect, and onelyonly they, do in baptiſm 2. They onelyonly that are Elected, receive Regeneration in Baptiſm.receive a Regeneration. But what kind of Regeneration? whether Potential, Habitual, or Initial, they know not; not ſuch as will ſerve their turn, when they grow up to years; for then they muſt have an Actuall and farther Regeneration, before they can be ſaved. Peter telleth us expreſly, that the outward waſhing with water ſaveth none, there muſt go a farther work to that, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Wherefore the baptiſm that now is, anſwering that figure, (which is not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, but a confident Demanding, which a good conſcience maketh to God) ſaveth us alſo, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt. That, no man can have, that is not new born. There cannot be a good conſcience, till there be a ſprinkling of the blood of Chriſt. For we are ſprinkled from an evill conſcience, Heb. 12. 24. Now a man that is new-born, when Satan putteth in a Plea againſt him, he can put in his Anſwer againſt Satan's Bill; he is able to plead Sincerity, when he is accuſed of Hypocriſie, and to make an apology for himſelf, againſt the accuſations of the Law. If this ſatisfie not, conſider one or two places more, to ſhew the vanity of this plea, Gal. 6. 15. In Chriſt Jeſus, neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion; but a new creature. Baptiſm is, what Circumciſion was. Baptiſm availeth not, but a new Baptiſm availeth not, without a newbirth:creature. Baptiſm, without new-birth, can bring no man to ſalvation. One may be a kind of baptized Turk, as there were circumciſed Ellemits in Jeruſalem; that is, Men circumciſed in the fleſh, and yet Heathens in their diſpoſitions. Ezek. 18. 31. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions, wherein ye have tranſgreſſed; and make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? They muſt die, unleſſe there were a new ſpirit, and a new heart within them: Nothing but death without the new creature, though an Iſraelite.
When men are beaten from this, they fall to a ſecond 2d Plea of carnall Profeſſors.plea, and pretend to a New-birth; Why? Becauſe they are not ſo bad as they have been; ſome duties they neglected before, but now perform them; ſome errours they committed before, but now abſtain from them. Therefore ſurely they are born of God.
To make Anſwer to this Plea, we muſt know, whereſoever Their Plea anſwered.this new-birth is, there is a farther thing then reſtraining grace; there is holineſſe of life: Epheſ. 4. 24. That ye put on that new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe. Now holineſſe goeth farther, than to the abſtaining from ſome evill, and doing of ſome good. Holineſſe reacheth to the mortification of luſt; where there is a new man, created after holineſſe, luſt will be purſued, not onelyonly to impriſonment, but to death. The Woolf is not onelyonly tied up, but turned into a Lamb; the Sow is not onelyonly put into a paſture, but changed into a Sheep. A woolf tyed up, doth not ſo much miſchief as before; a Sow in a paſture is not ſo ſwiniſh and filthy, as when it walloweth in the mire: but their natures ſtill remain. So it is in reſtraining grace, their natures are the ſame, if not ſome change in their converſation. Where the new-birth is, there is a change of the heart, and a new nature wrought; therefore men do duties with delight, and conſtantly. Men look at luſts now, not as David did at Abſolom, but as Joab did at Abſolom, that I may uſe that compariſon. Aſolom, he rebelled, ye know; David and Joab, they both ſet themſelves againſt him; but ſo, as David, though he could not but be diſpleaſed with Abſolom's rebellion, yet he carrieth affection towards him, and deſireth, that the young man may be dealt gently withall. On the other ſide, Joab, when he getteth an opportunity, throweth dart upon dart, and never 2 Sam. 18. 14.leaveth till he hath ſlain him. So, ye have many a man, that hath ſome work of grace upon his heart, that yet hath a months mind, and longing after ſin: he would have his ſin ſuppreſt, as David would have Abſolom, but yet Abſolom muſt live, though a rebellious ſon. Many would have ſin ſuppreſt, that it may not expoſe them to hell and damnation; but all this while their ſins muſt live. But the new creature is carried out with hatred againſt ſin, therefore it is not content without its deſtruction. Mortifie your earthly members, ſaith the Apoſtle. Such a ſin, ſaith the regenerate ſoul, will have my death, therefore I will have its death; I will not be content till it be crucified with the luſts and affections thereof. I ſhall now proceed to the 14 Verſe.