The Reviler Rebuked, Treatise · Part 1 · Head 7
(7. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) Concerning Regeneration.
Section 27.
I Had noted what they ſay, He that believeth is born of God, without Scripture, and yet witneſſed in Scripture, contrary to James 1. 18. and 1 Pet. 1. 23▪ 25. whichRegeneration by the Scripture promiſe not onelyonly bear witneſs of a new birth, but ſaith alſo, it is wrought by the word of truth, the word of God, the word that is preached, which was never [without] or beſides, much leſs directly againſt, but always according to the Scripture; both as the Apoſtles preached it, and others after them, and their written doctrine. R. F. *Page 15.returns me, in a retorting way, as is his wonted maner, this for an anſwer. If thou was not blind, thou would ſee that thou contradicts the Scripture, and not they: that attributes the work of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter, which thou calls the word, and ſo therein denyes God, who begets by his own will, by that word which liveth and abideth for ever; which was in the beginning with God, and was God.
Rep. 1. Gods eſſential will, and the free act of his love and good pleaſure is the primary impulſive cauſe of his regenerating a ſoul.
2. Chriſt by his death purchaſeth the grace of regeneration, and by the power of his reſurrection applyes it. 1 Pet. 1. 3.
3. The Spirit of the Father and the Son comes with the Scripture-promiſe, and quickneth the ſoul, to believing, and by believing of the word of truth (which at the beginning R. F. acknowledged the Scriptures to be) and at that inſtant the believing ſoul is (as Iſaac) conceived and formed a childe of promiſe; a believer, and a new-creature together, by the word of grace, which the Spirit uſeth as the external means of regeneration; yea, he carrieth the word and voice of the Son of God, John 5. 25. from the ear to the heart, and makes them hear, and live. That part of the Scripture which is pure Goſpel, is the miniſtration of the Spirit, as of righteouſneſs and life, 2 Cor. 3. 8.
4. They that ſpeak of a regeneration, ſuch as the Scripture helps them not to know and obtain, ſpeak wildely of it, as J. Nayler in his new piece, *Love to the loſt. page 34.treating of the new-birth; he tells his loſt creatures, There is the old man, and a new man, but he doth not ſay there are two contrary qualities, in the ſame regenerate ſoul; luſting one againſt the other, as the Apoſtle deſcribes their ſtate, Gal. 5. 17. He ſaith, *Page 35.Nicodemns knew not the new birth, though he loved Chriſt. He did not know the maner, and myſtery of it, before his coming to Chriſt, but if he loved Chriſt before, it was a fruit of the new-born-ſeed of grace, or ſpiritual principle; for even J. N. confeſſeth, as is the man, ſo are his works, and as is the Tree, ſo is the fruit. And I may adde, as is J. N. ſo is his Book, and his his love to the loſt: for (if the man may be known by his writing) he may haply, know as little of the new-birth as Nicodemus did, though he would be a great Teacher in our Iſrael. Some may ſay, he ſpeaks *Love to the loſt. p. 35.of a Promiſe as well as a power that puts off the old man with his deeds, luſts and affections; but if you mark it, it is to them who remain in the ſeed of God, and it in them; he doth not ſay, the new-creature hath a promiſe, that it ſhall remain: although the Scripture ſaith it ſhall: Joh▪ 15. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 27. Well, if he holds but to what he ſaith, That all who remain in this ſeed, and it in them, hath the Promiſe; I would have R. F. ask him, whether it be the Promiſe that begets the new man, which helps to put off the old? if it be, we ſhall finde the new man quickned, as the old man crucified and ſlain, by a word of promiſe, in ſeveral places of Scripture, ſcattered. The word of promiſe ſerveth to regenerate, and begin the work, as well as to preſerve, nouriſh and maintain the regenerate man in his ſtate. He that ſhuts out Scripture from being Chriſts organ, or the Spirits inſtrument and means of Regeneration, it had been better for him he had never known the Scripture, or written a word about it.