LIBRARY Jlheolociicul Jr inhume PRINCETON , N.^L XT r' Division Jz No. Case, -iV-Tt"": u No. Shelf, _ c ieG-ic-__ ry /_- r _______ No. Book_- From the Rev. W. B. SPRAGUE, D.D. Sept. 1839. jSp'i ague Collection . FoZ. n Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library https://archive.org/details/treatiseonregeneOOmast Dr. VanMaftricht, o N REGENERATION: s- s * 7 )' / I Regeneration. By VETER VAN MASTRICHT, D.D. Profefforof Divinity in the Univerfities of Francfqrt, Duisburgh, and Utrecht. Extradted from his Syftem of Divinity, called The- ologia theoretico-pradtica ; and faithfully tranf- lated into Englifh j With an APPENDIX, containing Extracts from many celebrated Di¬ vines ot the reformed Church, upon the fame Subjedh NEW-HAVEN: Printed and Sold by Thomas and Samuel Green, in the Old-CouncU-Chamber. I *\ ? n ' n • % 0 T HE reader will perhaps be defirous to know, who thisDodt. Van Majiricht is, and what the particu¬ lar reafons are, for publishing the following Treatife at this time. The Publifher will endeavour, in brief to fatisfy the reader in both. Peter Van Majiricht, author of the following Treatife ; was born in the year 1630, in the city of Cologn , in Ger¬ many, of honorable parentage, many of whole anceftors bad been confideraole fuffcrers in the proteffant caufe. He was educated in the univerfity of Utrecht was feve- ral years a preacher, in various parts of Germany and Den¬ mark ; was invited to fettle in Copenhagen , capital of the latter: But was prevailed upon by the Eleftor of Bran¬ denburg, (grand-father, or great-grand-fatker to the pre- fent king of Prujfia) to accept the place of profefifor of Hebrew and practical divinity, in his new eftabliffied univerfity at Francfort. He afterwards ferved in the fame ffation at Duijburg, near his native place-, and the lad thirty years of his life, he fudained the fame office in the famous univerfity of Utrecht, the place of his edu¬ cation. He was greatly efteem’d as a mod accurate, judicious, learned and pious divine. He died in this office near eighty years of age. Hisfyftem of divinity, from whence the following Treatife is extracted, is the product of a long life, fpent in the (ludy, practice and initr udtion of divinity. The realon for tranflating and publishing the follow¬ ing Treatife at this time, is principally a hope, that it may have a tendency to put a flop to the controverfy, which feems to be growing among us,, relative to ^ge¬ neration. ( v * ) iteration ^Whether it be wrought by the immediate in¬ fluences of the divine Spirit, or by light as the means ? and happily to unite us in the truth. The tranflatur is encouraged thus to hope, from the following confederati¬ ons, •- — 1. He hath frequently heard gentlemen, who main¬ tain oppofite fides ot this queftion, manifeft their entire approbation of, and concurrence with Van Madricht ; which induces him to think, that with many, the con- ; froverly is more about terms than any thing elfe ; and that when they find, they both can agree with VanMaJl - ricbt , they will be lead lb to explain themfelves, as to agree with each other. 2. As our Author cannot be looked upon as partial ! sn favour of any particular fyftem of doctrines prevail¬ ing amongft us ; ’tis hoped and expected that all will read him without prejudice or partiality. 3. The great character which our author fuftains, for which we have the ample teftimony of Dr .Cotton Mather , (whole name hath always been much refpe&ed in the churches of New-England) in the following words, J ** There is nothing that I can with io much pleropho- 44 rie recommend unto you, as a Majlricht , his Theologia “ tbeorctico-prablica . That a minilter of the golpel may 44 be thoroughly furnifhed unto every good work, and 44 in one or two quarto volumns enjoy a well furnifhed “ library ; I know not that the fun has ever fhone up- 44 on an human^compofure that is equal to it ; and I 44 can heartily fublcribe unto the commendation which 44 Pontamts, in his Laudatio Funebris upon the author has 44 given ot it. De hoc opere confidents affirmo, quod to or• 41 dine fit digefiunty tanto rerum ponder e pregnant et tumidun\ \ 44 tanta et tam vana eruditione refer turn ; ut nefcio an in ill* y genere uJquamGtniium exfiet aliquid magis ac cur at urn et ela - 44 boratum . | x , X Dr. Mather's directions fer a Candidate of the miniilry. P. S5. ( vii ) •* boratum. *f- I Hope you will, next unto the facred ** feriptures, make a Maftriebt the ftcrebqufe to whick ** you may refort continually. But above all things re- “ member the dying words of this true Divine ; which ** he uttered aliijfma voce (with a loud voice, and I wife 4t all that fludy divinity might hear it \) Se nullo loco eS numero habere veritatis dejenfionem , quam fencer a pittas 4< et vitee JanElitas, individuo nexu non comitetur” * The charader, I fay, of our Author, and his profdTcdly de¬ livering upon this point the general fentiment of the whole reformed church abroad, it is hoped, will weigh fo much, in the mind of every one, as to obtain a candid examination of his fentiments, before they rejed them. 4. Our Author’s arguments are exceeding plain, fcriptural, and convidive. There is nothing liable to the imputation of metaphyfical nicety and fubtilty. So far from it that his Contemporaries, who oppofed his dodrines, “ accufcd him of not allowing reafon its pro¬ per place ; but of dethroning it thro’ pretence of religi¬ on.” ’Tis therefore to be hoped, that many who have oppofed the fentiments which our Author maintains, from a notion of their being metaphyfical fubtilties, will by his plain, fcriptural arguments, be convinced of the truth of them. 5. Many, ’tis to be feared, are prejudiced againft the dodrine which our Author endeavours to eftablife in the following Treatife, from a notion that it is new and unheard of in the Chriftian Church. The following Treatife, f In EngliCb thus. Of this work (i. e bis fvftcaa ©f divinity) I confidently affirm, that it it difpofed in that order, abounds in hi«» weighty matter, and is filled with fuch a copied variety of learning, that I know not whether the world can afford any thing of th« kind, better ftudied, and more accurate than this. * Thst he hath no opinion of any defence of the trieth, which Sneer© piety and holincls el life doth net infejetsbly accompany. ( viii ) Treatife, it is hoped, will entirely remove this groundlefs objection. \ But if this little Treatife fhould not prove fo fucceff- ! ful, as to reconcile our differences upon this point, it will at lead lerve this purpofe, to enable thofe, who have not opportunity, to look into antient authors on this fub- je£t, to judge in fome meafure what the fentiments of the Reformed Church have been upon this important point. Thefe confiderations induce the Translator ftronglyj to hope, that this publication may be of happy fervice, ■ at the prefentday. Should it in any meafure contribute to the promoting and maintaining of truth, the Trans¬ lator will think himfelf amply rewarded for his trouble, j The Tranflator begs the candour of the Reader, with regard to the many inelegancies offtile, which, he is ap- prehenfive, the critical reader will difcover in the fol¬ lowing pages. Our Author’s manner of writing is laco¬ nic, with very little decoration or ornament. A tranf- lation, in any meafure literal, mud refemble the genius ©f the original : And many Idioms of the original lan¬ guage will be apt infendbly to Aide into the trar.flation.’ The Tranflator had rather forego any ornaments of ftile, which the work might receive from a more free tranfla- tion, than thereby endanger himfelf to mifreprefent the fenfe of our Author. He hopes the Tranflation judly reprefents the Author’s fentiments, which he looks upon the principal thing j and therefore perfuades himfelf, that any little inaccuracies of exprefiion, will be kindly! overlooked by the benevolent reader. ON ON REGENERATION, JOHN iii. 5. Verily, ‘verily I fay unto thee, except a man be born of Water, and of the Spirit , he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God , I. TT AVING in a former treadle difcourled upon The felon! JLJL th e adt of application, in which the holy ad of appli- Spirit offers to thofe who are to be faved, for their re- canon * s ception, the Redeemer and Redemption. I come now £ er ‘ erasi0£l ; to difcourfe upon the fecond , in which he bedews upon them that power , by which they are enabled to receive the offered benefits •, which is done by regeneration , the necefiityof which our Saviour holds forth in the words above mentioned. The explanatory part. II. Thefe words contain a weighty, powerful after- The text ex* tion of our Saviour, concerning the necefftty of regene- plained. Nation. In which we may note, 1. The perfon offer ting. /fay unto you *, /whom juft now you faluted by the title of Rabbit or Marten, a. rriafter fent froin God, of which you have been con- B vinced io * Ver* 2. b Ifa. 65. c John 14, d Titus 1 Heb. 6. * John 8. f John 3. * Num.5. Deut. 27. i Cor.14. fe 2Cor. 1. *If. 65. i * Rev. 3: On "Regeneration . vlnced by fo many miracles; * 7 , who am the Amen, or the God of truth ; b yea, the truth itfelf, c which .2! cannot either deceive or be deceived ; d whom there- 18. fore you may iafely believe, do affert , tefiify and declare * 4 * e unto you, and not only to you, but to the whole na¬ tion ; yea, and to all generations which lhall exift in 7 * future ages. f 2. The manner of afertion, amen, amen, verily , verily. The word amen is of Hebrew derivation, from the root, aman (to be liable or firm) which is retained in the Greek, Syriac, Arabic, and all the Latin vcr- fions ; and alio in the vulgar languages. It is an adverb of afjerting \ that is verily , certainly , or the thing is fo, or this is the truth. Aquila renders it, bv faith¬ fully -, the Seventy by, fo he it, but fometimes retain the word amen. It is uled either to confirm what hath 12 - been already fpoken, g or to affirm what is now to be jg laid. The firft ufe is mofl frequent in the old tefta- ’ ment, the latter in the new. It is a particle ufed for confirmation, and is rendered either by verily or fo he it : in the firft fenfe it is ufed in confirmation of fome- thing affirmed, in the latter, in confirmation of fome- thing wifhed or defined. If the fentence be an informa¬ tive affertion , the word means verily or truly •, but if 0- ptative cr intreative, the meaning is, fo be it. The particle nai comprehends both fignifications as it is fometimes offertory , fometimes expreffive of vehement defire, Hence Luke ufeth the word nai (yeaj for a- 1 7* men. The apoftle Paul connects them together, h yea and amen *, that one might emphatically explain the’ other. Our Saviour repeats the word amen (verily) perhaps indifferent fenfes, fo that the firft may fignify 16. himfelf, I the amen, the God of truth ; 1 as it is laid j 4# thefe things faith the Amen, the faithful & true Witnefsf The latter may fignify the truth of the thing afferted. So that the meaning of the exprefTion may be this, I the God of truth declare the truth unto you. It may alfa On 'Regeneration. t r alfo be defigned to confirm and ftrengthen the truth cf his paradox concerning the abfolute neceffity of regeneration, and the more powerfully to beget in Nicodemus a belief of the dodrine ; I, the Mader fent from God, verily fay unto you, and that repeated¬ ly. There are feme who think the repetition of the word denotes, not a fimple affirmation ; but an oath r and that it is the fame in fenfe with the expreffion, as 1 live faith the Lord, in the old teftament, as the Chal¬ dee verfion, for this expreffion, hath, as I am conftant , (fable, firm, or as I am the amen , theGod oftruth. But it doth not appear to me confident, that one who fo feverely cenfures a rafh, oath, 1 ffiould fo frequently 'Mat. 5. 33, fwear himfelf; for it is laid that this expreffion is 34 - ufed fifty times by our Saviour. However, we may at lead confider it as & forcible manner of e:cpreffioh, or as the Hebrews fay, as a corroboration of his words , admirably fuited to this paradox of the abiblute necef¬ fity of regeneration. 3. The thing averted, with regard to which we may note, (i) The fubjed, regeneration , or the new-birth, “ex* cept a man be born,” the fame thing in ver. 2, is expreded by being born again , or from above. The word anothen rendered again , fignifies fometimes, a- gain, or ihefecond time ; thus Nicodemus feems to have underdood it: m in which fenfe it occurs, Gal. « Ver. 4. g> And thus Syrits and Nonnus render it in this place. The apodle Peter ufeth the word anagenethenai to be born again. n In other places the word fignifies from above , or from heaven. 0 Which it Items our Savi- Wer-jr.Joh. our defigned to intimate, by explaining che word ano- then ufed in verfe 3, by the expreffion of water and f^ 1 ' dfl of the fpirit , in verfe 5, or to be born fpiritually and from above, that is from heaven. What if we ffiould conned thefe two fenfes together, as one is fubordinate to the other: fo that to be born anothen fignifies both to \ • ju »i Cor.j.iy Gal. 6. 15. Rev. 2i. 5 Luke 1. 35 On Regeneration . to be boFn from above, that is fpiritually and from heaven v and alfo again, or the fecond time ? fincc that being born, which is from above, or of the Spirit, is a fecond birth, as it follows the fir ft and natural birth, which is after the flefh.. “ Except a man be born, again,” our Saviour calleth it a birth or being born, to denote the univerfal amendment or renovation of man thereby : he intimates the neceflity of a renovation, not of this or that particular part or faculty, but a to* tal renovation of the whole man, which is a new or fecond birth, whereby he becomes a nnv man, a new. creature, and walks in newntfs of lift. p Of which more under the doctrinal part. (2 ) The origin of regeneration, {C of water and the fpirit .” The particie ek rendered of, as is plain from fubjedt, denotes in this place, not the material, but tRom. 11.36. the efficient caufe, as it doth in many other places ; \ fince neither water nor fpirit are the matter out of which a fpiritual regeneration is effected. Water and fpirit, fome confider as two different things •, fo' that by water they underftand th t infirumental, and by fpi¬ rit, the principal caufe, becaufe (as they fuppofe) the fpirit, by water, effects regeneration. But they who are of thu opinion are divided ; fome by water under- ftand the Jewifli baptiims or wafnings, with which, the jews, more especially the Pharifres, were wopt to walh their profelytes, before their admiffion into the J.ewifh church; likewile their own hands, clothes, meat and even their bodies, of which mention is made 1 in various places of the new teftament; r to thefe, our Nicodemus, as he was aPharifee, mult have been accuftomed. Others by water here, underftand the facramental water of baptifm, by which they fuppofe the Spirit effedts regeneration. And here again fome fuppofe the baptifrnal water to be direflly intended, as moftof the Fathers others, only b.y way of allufion. Others more rightly underftand but pne thing expref- fed s ••' Mark 7. 1 Heb. 9. 10 Mirk 7. 4. On Regeneration, 23 fed by two terms, as the water of the Spirit, or Spiri¬ tual water, or rather the Spirit having the properties of water, which like water cieanleth in regeneration. For our Saviour doth not mean to lead Nicodemus to receive the facrament of baptifrn, (which at that time was not inffituted, at lead; as an ordinary, univerfal facrament •,) but to ieek the regeneration of the Holy Ghoft. 8 “He faved us by the wafhing of regenerati- * Tit. 3. 5. on :** wherefore in the continuation of this difcourfe, our Saviour makes no further mention of water, but only of. the Spirit. *. I need not obferve that by Spirit 1 Ver. 6, .7,8. here, is to be underftood th.e third perfon in the facred Trinity, with relation to the work of fpiritual purifica¬ tion , which is effected by regeneration and renovation. 18 ® Tin 3. 5. ($J The necejfity of this regeneration, with regard to which, may be obferved, [1] The manner in which both the neceffity, and univerfa'lity of it are expreffed, “except a man be born.” A man, that is, every man, which extends the neceffity to all and every one , fo that not one individual can be excepted from this neceffity. However lei’s is ex¬ preffed by this form of fpeech, than is intended. It means not only that no one can be faved without this regeneration •, but that all the regenerate fhall be fav- ved. Not that regeneration (at leaf!; in it’s limited fenfe) is the only thing required unto falvation; fince befides this ,converfion, fandtifkation, 8 $c. are neceffary, in which the power , bellowed in regeneration, may be drawn forth into the actual exercifes of faith and re¬ pentance : but that all and every one, who is rege¬ nerated, will alfo be brought to csnverfton , fan&ifka- tion, faith and repentance, and fo tofalvation. [2] The uje , or the purpofe to which regeneration is fubfervient, viz. “ entering into the kingacm of God.”' The kingdom of God here fignifks both the kingdom of grace upon earth, or the church, w that the perfon re- w % generated may become a true and living member Coi. 4.1 thereof , 14 On Regeneration. tli and^ 6 ' 1 ^ hereof 5 an< 3 a ^° t ^ ie kingdom of glory in heaven ; * j f * l3 LukeS. 4 io. . W * C ^ ^ings which pertain to both thefe kingdoms,* j u i. e. all fpiritual bleflings. jt [3 | The poffeffion and enjoyment of this kingdom. > d li He cannot enter thereinto. Ver. 3. “He cannot fee the 1 kingdom of God.” Here regeneration is extended to the 1 power, “he cannot , ” the reafon of which is given in the 1 following verfe, '■'■'That, which is horn of theflejh, that 2 is by natural generation, is flejh, or carnal,.defiled with j ; iin ; and that, which is born of the fpirit, is Ipirit, or ( fpiritual and faving. For regeneration, ftridtly fo cal- ' 1 »Eph.2. 2. 5. ed, finds man fpiritually dead, * into whom it infufeth j ' the firft aft, or principle of the fpiritual life\ by which he hath a power or ability to perform fpiritual exer- * cifes. Therefore, without this, he can neither fee the j kingdom of God, that is mentally, as he is blind, “ He ptreeiveth not the things of the Jpirit of God : jor they are foolijhnefs unto him, neither can he know them , becaufe they | 1 Cor.214. are fpiritually difeerned b Nor if he could fee , could ho 1 enter into the kingdom of God, as “he is not juhjefi to * Rom. 8. 7- the law of God,” neither indeed can he ; c who alfo “of ! * 2 Cor. 3.5. himfelf is not fufficient to think any thing fpiritually good” * Who therefore Hands in abfolute need of illumination by regeneration, in order to his feeing the kingdom of 1 heaven, and of a renovation of his will, in order to his 1 willing to enter into it. Which power is after¬ wards excited in the exercifes of faith and repentance, in converfion and fanclification, whereby he fees the kingdom of God, and at the fame time enters into the fame. That befides the external call, regene¬ ration is alfo neceflary to the applicati¬ on ofredemp- tion.which is proved by the fcriptures 1 The Doctrinal Part. III. It is not fufficient to the application of re¬ demption, or a participation therein, that the Re*- deemerandthe redemption purchafcd by him, be of¬ fered, by the external call of the gofpel, to thofe who are to be faved, for their reception, unlefs that pow¬ er be beftowed upon them, by regeneration, by which they On Regeneration'. *5 they may be enabled to receive the offered benefits.' For the Redeemer himfelf exprefsly denies that any one, without regeneration, can either fee fpiritual ob¬ jects, or approach them, by entering into the king¬ dom of God. Hence faith, by which alone Chrift is applied to us, and we made partakers of his redemp¬ tion, is aferibed only to thofe who are born of God. 0 ®Johni.12,13 And the apoftle is even more exprefs than this, who, after that he had taught that the kindnefs of God our Saviour had appeared unto men, viz. By the externa! call of the golpel, adds, that he faved them, that is ap¬ plied to them the kindnefs or redemption of the Savi¬ or, by the walking of regeneration, and the renewing ef Tt. 3.4, the Holy Ghofi. f The fame thing is held forth in all thofe texts of feripture, which aferibe our partaking of h Deut.30. 6, Chrift’s redemption, or our falvation, ( 1 ) In exprefs Rom- 2. 29. terms to regeneration , and the renewing of the Holy fjf 1 ' 2 ' Ghoft : g (2) To circumcifon of the heart : h (3J to the an j e , ',^ ° taking away of the heart of ftone, and the putting with- Jer.32. 39. & o us a heart of flelk, the giving of a new heart and a 3 ! 3 2 ^ l -S l - new fpirit. 1 (4) To the creation of a pure heart. k ^^^'2 IO ’ (5) To fpiritual drawing •, 1 unlefs you would choofe 2 Cot. 5. *17; to refer that to the grace of converfion. (6) To the 1 Cant. 2, 3.- illumination of the mind, m and renewing of the will. n J ohn ^ 44 - 6 5 * (7) To a fpiritual rejurreftion and quickening. 0 All”*’ f 8 ' which expreffions are fynonimous with regeneration, »E p h. 2.5.6.” fignifying the fame thing in different terms. John 5. 25. IV. The foundation of this neceffity lieth in the Anc *ky rea - univerfal , fpiritual death of all the elebf, by which they, p°gC , 2 ^ as well as reprobates, are by nature dead in fin ; p have & v . 14 Luke an heart of (lone an uncircumcijed heart •, r are blind in 15. 24. Mat.8. their minds f have their wills alienated from God, from the life of God, and from all fpiritual and laving \ good ; 1 and are therefore utterly infuflicient to think Cor.2. 14. even the leaft good thought ; 8 and conlequently alfo Eph.4 17,18. to receive, by a living faith, the Redeemer offered to ^Eph^.4.18,19 them in the gofpcl, and the neceffary terms of falva- ° 2 r f\J' sion ■, n On Regeneration'. * Heb.5.4.5. 6 . 9. 1 iCor.2. 13, H- The meaning ©f the word regeneration. tion *, unlefs, by regeneration, pcWir be beftowed up¬ on them in a new fpiritual life by the Holy Ghoft. However a man ipiritua.Ilv dead can hear fpintual truths, he can alfo, grammatically at leaft, under ft and what he hears; he can moreover approve in his judg¬ ment, at leaft fpeculdtively , what he underftands, and laftly he can in a general manner have fome kind of affetftion towards what he approves. Nor doth the holy Spirit in the work of regeneration and fpiritual quick¬ ening, treat with the cleft, as with flocks or brutes*, but as rational creatures, to whofe reception, the Re¬ deemer, with the terms of falvation, have been alrea¬ dy offered by the externa! call ; to the reception of which, the Spirit hath invited them by the rnoft: pref- fing motives. Yea it is poflible that perfons, as yet fpiritually dead, may, if not by the powers which they are naturally pofle fifed of; yet by the aftiftance of com¬ mon grace, arrive to certain attainments, not accom¬ panying falvation, w or that are not infeperably con- nedted therewith. So that we are not to think, there is nothing to be done with the unregenerate. How¬ ever, while they perform all thefe things, they do no¬ thing at all, which is fpiritual, or befure nothing in a fpiritual manner. * V. That we may attain to a more dear undemand¬ ing of the nature of this regeneration, fo neceffary to falvation : we mult carefully obferve with regard to the word, that both the feriptures, and alfo divines ufe it, fometimes in a larger fenfe, to denote the whole operation of the Holy Ghoff upon the fouls of thofe who are to be faved ; whereby they are brought into a ft ate of grace j fo that, befides the external call, it comprehends converfion, and even initial fandtificati- on : In which fenfe practical divines lay down the marks, motives, and means of regeneration : Some¬ times the word regeneration is uled in a more limited fenfe, as diftinguilhed from the external call, from converfion,: t M. C t -n lemer., who feem not to rrjeft he tiling in¬ tended by it; their d.flike thereto feems to an/" frocn an apprenen-a fion that it implies the beftovenent of a new r.aturai /acuity fuch as t the undemanding,will,of ailfeftioos; but this ’tis evident !^ not our author’s meaning, and perhaps no: the meaniog of ary, v'.ho ufe the term. Thev do not fuppofe the regenerate to exercife any ns-' tural facu'ty which the unregenerate do not. They ufe the »v i'rd C Amply in opp fiuon to mo'a'. Now a «M>-a/'operaiion is the effec- j ting of fotnethig by moral fuTion or by the laying of arguments j and inducements before the mind ; but thefe, however great and ftreng, attended with never lo mi^< light in the underitjnding, ‘ our author fuppofes, will not efFsft ^fcceration i bu fuppofes theie { is a pofitive, immediate aft of the dm^fpirit upon the idui, in- fuSng a nevf principle of ipiritu:! andtlivine li'e ; whereby the , foul is enabled, or qualified to eXerci e i s na’urri powers and fa- c culties in a fpiritual manner. Some have chofen to exprefs them- j felves hereupon in this form, viz. That "God in regeneration afts fj after the manner of a phyfical caule, as Dr.Ames, Rutherford & c. , snd the faine thing, I take it, is intended by our Knglifh Divines | when they call that opera'ion, which regenerates, Jufematural, t They certainly ufe this word in oppofition to rr.iral, or any opera- . 'lion by moral fuafion, or the laying of arguments and mo ives be- t fore the mind. See ex rafts from Ridgly, Willard, &c. in the ap- e pendix -Indeed, ’till of fare, fcarce any, but PeUgisns, denied j, whst is intended by aphyficcl operation in regeneiation, and the ; word phyfical has generally been made ufe of ; tho’ iome have re- , drifted the phyfical ©peiation of the fp!>ic In regeneration to the , underftanding, as mod' of the Armenians, ai d 'ome of the reformed, f who have held to regeneration by an i!l ruination of the under- f /landing ; they feem to have been influenced to this reftriftion, t thro’ fear, lea ft, if they ex-ended the phyfical opt ration 10 »he uvi/t, , the freedom'of man’s will could not be maintained. But, tho’ the , generality of the reforrtied call the regeneratiag aft of God a phy- f fical operation ; yet f no where find, that they call the change, j that inwrought in man thereby, a phyfical change. The in ta .diate term or efKft of regeneration according tcVan Maftricht is, ( § x. xi. xij.) grace, fpiritual life, Sec. whieh is a moral change in the ' men, or a change of the moral ftate o ( his mind ; tho’ wrought by a phyfical operation Nor is there any thing sbfurd in this, that ( the operation fhould be phyfical and yet the cfF-ft moral : for none |( t*rould fuppofe it beyond the power of God, (if he is pleafed to ex- 8 erCifs On Regeneration. 19 and externally called, the firji aft or the principle of fpiricua! life, by which they are enabled to receive the offered Redeemer, and c-umply with the conditions of falvatiori. From this defcription may come into con- fideraiion, VlI.Firfh Th tAuthor of regeneration, which isGod ^ lie ^ util0!: ablolutely confidered -, k that Father of Lights , from °; 0 ^ enera whom cometh down every good and perfeft gift ; ' be- * John 1. 13. caufe regeneration is a tranfiept abf, common to the Eph- 2. 5 whole Trinity •, hence in the ceconcmy of redempti- J am *»• J7» 13 on, it is attributed, (1) To the Father, as moff agree¬ able to the charafter of a father which he fuflair s, m m 1 Pet i- 3* from whom all the family in heaven and earth is named ., n ^ a , m /' 1! who therefore as he begat Rs own Son, fo he alio be- p ’ 3 ' gets us * lo that he is both his and our Father. 0 A- 0 T 0 j, n 20.17; gain, etcife i ) to determine the will of m?.n to feme pedicular v. L.ion, o he wife, than by argument* or motives ; (this is beio^e a pefli- ble cafe) here the operation would be phyfical, yet the e(F£l moral. So that the fuppouriom of a phyfiatl operation, and yet a moral change as the effeti of it, is not inco< 0 ;ent in iTelf. A r>d that this is ?dlrndly the cefe, we trufl oar author hath (efficiently pro¬ ved The word principle which is here ufed for he immediate efF «ft of this phj fipsl operation, and which is frequently ufed in this Cranflition, has likewife given offence to fome, as being a ihing entirely urinselligible, a it range tomething , or a fort of Jubflratum in the foul, svhich-iies beyond the icach or human knowledge. ’Tis confefTud it cannot be explained otherwife than by its coni quen- pes or effe&s. And is not the foul an unknown lubhratum Ol cogi¬ tation, whofe exigence can b; known only by its operations? and what aie the faculties of the foul, the untitrfi uncling, will and ajftfiionsy but unknown fubftrata of their ftvera! txercifes ? and what is matter but an unknown fubflratum of exter.fi. n, foliaity, &c. and what are all habits, but unknown fubhrata of their exer- cifes } thefe fubftrata are unknown as to the nature cf them. Their exi 9 er.ee is known only by the qualities or aflions they fupport. But who will difbelisve their exigence, becaufe they can. rot fully comprehend the abftraft nature of them ? the im¬ plantation of a principle or fubflratum of holy exerciles in rege¬ neration is argued and known from iis exercifes, and operations. And we can tell the nature of it, as well as we can the nature of mat¬ ter, of the foul, the faculties of the foul, and the like. And when thefe latter are explain- d, we (hall think ou (elves obliged to CS- plain the former, cr difbslievs its existence 5 but not, before. 20 On Regeneration'' r *^ et - I » 2 > 3 - gain, (2) Regeneration is aferibed to the Son, as the ^1 Lor.i 5 45 mer i ior j ous cau | c .p w ho f or t |-,i s reafon is (tiled a quick- compared emng \pintg and the lire, which we Jive, we are laid' iv tn P.1 i 1. 1. to live by the faith of the Son of God. r And (3) To 2i. Col. 3 4. the H ) } y Ghoft •, 5 hence he is (tiled the /pint of life •„ 3 ■ JVoti/3 ?- beca-ufe the Holy Spirit by his operation immediately Tu 35^ effects regeneration : and the fpiritual life is with pe- ■ mi Z 2.10. culiar propriety aferibed to the fpirit of life. The u Eph. -> moving caufe is merely God’s great love, u his abundant ^ l ct^i. 2,3. mgre y .w j^j s g rac i ous good pleasure * Nor is there, efpe- > j , ,7. dally before regeneration, (while we are the children 3 Epn. * 1, 5. of wrath, dead in fin 2 ) anything in us which can in the leaf merit fuch a favour. The indrument of rege¬ neration, (but that merely of amoral kind) is the word of God, b previ-oufly offered and received in the ex- b 1 Pet. 1.23. ternal call of the gofpel, as we have already oblerved. VI 11 . Secondly , we may confider the fubjedls of rege- T f ne ^ neration, which are, (1) Men, who. are endowed with. underftanding and will, to whom, agreeably to their rational nature, the Spirit hath previoufly offered re¬ demption for their reception •, with whom therefore, he is pleafed to treat, not as with flocks or brutes, as we have already obferved. (2) They are the elebi \ c for regeneration is not a common gift; but a gift pro* ceeding from the mofl didinguijhing or fpecial grace, as of reeeneia- tiem c t Pet. 1.2,3 ic chap. 2. 9 n Eph. 2. 5. it flows from God’s great love, u from his abundant d iPet.i. 2,3. mercy. d (3) They are redeemed ; hence Peter fpeaks of regeneration, as peculiar tothofe, who are fprinkled' * 1 Pet.t 2,3. with the blood of Chrijh * Again, (4) They are fuc.h, f£ph.2 1.5,6 who are as yet dead in fin : f for unlefs a man be dead, he cannot be made alive by regeneration. I add, (5) siThef.523. The whole man throughout, 8 is the fubjebt of regene¬ ration •, the underftanding, will, affections, fenfitive faculties, &c. that all may be quickened and renewed h 2 Cor.5. 7 thereby. h As by natural, generation, all the parts of a man are quickened or made alive; and as, by fin, the ilfa. 1.5 6 -whole man is become corrupt and dead.. ' IX. 21 On ’Regeneration . IX. Thirdly, we may confider regeneration itfelf, or The °f the regenerating o.tl. Which certainly is not a moral re & tf “ Cia£18n * aft, exercifed in otfering and inviting, as is the cafe with the external'call. But it is a phyfical aft power¬ fully infilling fpiritual life into the foul : Which is proved, not only, (i) By the conftant phraleology of the fcriptitres, when they fpeak of the exceedinggreatnys of his power towards thofe who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, or the energy of the power of his might-, yea the fame power which was exerted in raifing Chritl from the dead. k Which exprefiions k Eph. 1.19, certainly do not befpeak a moral agency. Alio where 20, the fcriptures fpeak of fpiritual circnmcijion, of taking away the heart of (tone, of putting within us a heart of flefh, of creating a new heart, of drawing, of work¬ ing in us to will and to do, of a refurreftion from the dead, of which we have fpoken in feft. HI. Do thefe exprefiions in the lead: favour an operation merely moral? But, (2) It may alfo be proved by the very nature of the thing, in as much as regeneration is an operation upon men ipiritually dead, infufing life into them ; 1 but what moral operation, in teaching offer- ^ph.2.1.5.6. ing, perfuading, can be rationally exercifed upon a a man that is dead? ' The term X. The term of this phyficial operation, or the firft immediate and immediate ejfebl of regeneration, is varioufly ex- efFed of re- preffed in feripture. Firft, it is fometimes caWcd grace,™ 2 en ^ rall0n * ‘ as I will pour out the Jpirit of grace ; i. e. I will pour m'zachTz 10 out grace by my Spirit. Be thou ftrong in the grace that is in Chrijl Jefus -, n and in other places to the like pur- n 2Tim. 2. i„ pole. By \vti\ch grace vet do not here underftand,( i)The ] 3 - 9 - free kindnefs of God, which is called grace freely giving 1 e ' 2 ' (gratiagratis dans) and external grace; irom which not only man, but every creature, receiveth whatever good he poffeffeth. By which alfo a man already re¬ generate, and poffeffed of fpiritual power, thro* a gra¬ cious providental influence, is excited to exert in jpi- ritual 22 ®Rom. 12. & ch- i. i iCor r. 7. fExod.ji-e *- Heb. 6 - 2 Spirit, 1 John 3. 11 9 Gal 5.16 17 18. 22. * Gal. 6. 1 J Cor. 3. w Rora. ?. ■ 0 « "Regeneration . ritual operations, the power he hath received. But, (2) By grace we here underhand the of this kind- nets grace, freely given, (gratia gratis data) or internal 6 . grace, which in the feriprures is called cbarifma , “('the 1 ‘ free gift.) Nor, (3) Do we underhand by grace here every efiVch of this kindnefs, fmee all the good which every creature enj ayeth, and even the whole creation, is from the grace ofGod, and in this fenfe univerfai grace may be allowed : But we underhand that grace which is contradihinguifhed to nature , and as it exiIts in man, to the natural powers of free will . Neither, (4) Da we underhand hereby every effect of grace, by which one man in his kind excells another, v. g. The gift .5 of mechanical Jkilf p or wildom in civil government, which may be called common grace, by the affihanceof which, in things of a moral nature, a man may perform any of thole things which are not (as the apAftle fays) echomraa foterias, or that have not a necehary connexi¬ on with eternal falvation ; But, (^)By'grace, we here underhand that effedt of God’s kindnefs, or the cha- rifma(free gift) by which one man hath power to perform fpiritual exercifes, while another hath it not ; and fuch exercifes, indeed to which God hath promifed eternal falvation; which to ufe the, apohle’s words, do accompany falvation (cchomena 9- foterias. 9 ) Finally in this fenfe, by the grace be- howed in regeneration, we underhand that fuperna- tural power, by which a maji is enabled to comply with the conditions of the covenant of grace, to apprehend the Redeemer by a living faith , to come up to the terms of falvation, to repent of fin, to love God and the Mediator fupremely, See. XI. Secondly , the term or immediate effe< 5 l of rege- neration, is more frequently called fpirit. r That which ' is born of the fie fro, is fiejh, and that which is born of the . fpirit , is fpirit ; s from which the regenerate are hiled 1 • fpiritual , ‘ who are fpiritually minded ; u (phrenema tou pneu- 7 \ mates> r I i Cor.2.14, On Regeneration . i mat os) who perceive the things of the fpirit and fpiritually difcern them. w By the word fpirit here we underftand not the Spirit giving •, but the fpirit given, that is the fpirit, which the Holy Ghoft beftows in regeneration, the prefence of which makes the foul fpiritually alive, as much as the preience of the animal Iptrit makes the body naturally alive.* Hence this fpirit is faid to quick¬ en or make alive, b therefore it is fliled the fpirit of a Ezck.3-.5- life, c becaufe the prefence of this fpirir, which is ini- Ads 20/, c . planted in the foul, conftitutes the Jpiritual life, and b I hr * 6 - 63. capacitates and inclines the man to jpiritual exercifes, * ^ um ' 2 * juft as the natural fpirit doth to natural exercifes. This fpirit, beftowed by the Holy Ghoft in regeneration, is, according to it’s various exercifes, filled iometimes th t fpirit of grace, fometimes the fpirit of prayer , d the ^Zach.iz.io. fpirit of faith, e &c. agreeably to that virtue and ope- *2001.4 >3* ration w'hich it produces in the regenerate. So that corn pared by the fpiric here we underftand only that Spiritual ™ 1 power, by which we are enabled to perform Jpiritual 1 , 2 * exercifes in a fpiritual manner. 2. By fpiritual exercifes or fpiritual things we mean the fame as the apoftle by the things of the fpirit , f and our Saviour, by the bufmefs or the things of his Father . s XII. thirdly, the term, or immediate effecl of re- 3- Life. generation, is more dearly called fpiritual life, in its jfrjl ad; (or principle,) from which God is faid to quick¬ en, together with Chrift, ihofe who are dead in fin, h h Eph. that we may be raifed together with him in a fpiritual manner. 1 From the want of which fpiritual life, the . unregenerate are faid to be dead in fin, alienated from ° ‘ the life of God ; k and from the prefence of which, on k Eph. 4. ig; the ether hand, we are faid to live to God, r to the will *Gal. 2. 20. of God, and according to God. 1 This fpiritual life con- 1 1 p et ^ 2 ^ fifteth in a reunion of the divine image, or original righteoufnefs with our fouls,by which our fit ft parents, in a ftate of innocence, were enabled to live to God, and were difpofed to all fpiritual exercifes.' 11 For as 1. the Col. 3 EpH. 4. 24, 10. 2 4 On Regeneration. Jif i 4 The feed of God. * iJohn 3. 9. the natural life confifteth in the union of thfe foul withll - the body ; fo th t fpiritual life confifteth in the unioni of original righteoufnefs with the foul. And as a man hath power to perform all natural actions from the natural life, fo frond the spiritual life the regenerate have power to perform all fpiritual exerciles. And laftly, as in the natural life, are virtually contained all a man’s natural powers, which afterwards, by organs properly difpofed, come forth into action : fo in this fpiritual life, are virtually contained all thole fpiritual graces, which, by the influence of converting grace, are in due time drawn forth by degrees into aftua exercife. XIII. Hence fourthly, the immediate effeft of rege¬ neration is alfo called the Jeed of God. 2 Becaufein th grace, in the fpirit, and in the fpiritual life , which are beftowed upon the elect in regeneration, are contained the feeds of all thofe graces, which are neceflary to falvation : Which, under proper circumftances, do, by the heavenly dews of converting grace, gradually, yet with abfolute certainty, in due time, put forth their blofToms and fruit in actual exercife •, like as the feeds of vegetables buried in the earth, when watered by genial Ihowers, fhoot forth into the (talk, flowers 5. A new creature. and fruit. And, fifthly, this immediate effect is called a new creature, h from which the regenerate are ftiied Gal. 6. 17. * Eph. 2. 10 k £zek 36,26 h 2 Cor, 5. 7. th e workmanjhip of God, created in Chrijl Jefus unto good works, that they might walk in them . 1 Alio, fixthly, it is called a new heart and a new fpirit, k becaufe thereby the whole regenerate man, and all that is his,y^z >/7 or underftanding, heart or will, all are renewed, 1 from which there is born a new man. m Thus far concerning the general term, or the firft and immediate effeft of regeneration, which is the fpiritual life in its firjl aft (or principle,) which is alfo called by other names, as grace, the fpirit , the feed of God , a new creature, &c. XIV. 1 2 Cor.5.17, 1 Thef.5. 23. “ Eph. 4. 23. 24.Col.3, 10 On Regeneration. 5 iiV\ This fpiritual life, animating and.quickening the whole regenerate man, and ail the leveral parts apd faculties of him, hath different names according to thoie I different faculties. As it takes place in th t under (I and j ing it is called a new fpirit, n and fpiritual light, 6 and the beflowment oi it by regeneration is called illumina | tion , p and thofe who are illuminated are called children i of the light •, 4 are laid to walk in the light ot the Loid, r which light bege:s in them the knowledge of the glory of. God in the face of CbriH Jefus our Lord , * and alio the faving knowledge of God, 1 and the Mediator. * This fpiritual light of the regenerate effects, ( t) The fimple under,(landing or perception, w by, which they know 1 pi - ritual objects, not only fpeculatively as true, but prac¬ tically as good. ( 4 ) It affeCts the judgment , fo that the regenerate judge concerning the goodnefs of fpiritual things, not only as to the general pofuion (in theft,) what is good in a general view ; but alfo under all the particular circumflances and connections of that truth (in hypothefi,) what is good and profitable for them at this very time, all circumflances eonfidered. x In the 25 Regeneration of the ulider- ltar.d Lh g , cal¬ led illumina¬ tion . n Bf>h. 2 ji Rom. 12, 2. 0 Eph. 5. S. p Eph. 1 i&i 2 or. 4. 6. sLuke 16.1,8. Eph. 5 8. 1 Thef. 5 5. r Ha. 2. 5 5 2 Cor. 4. 6. Col. 3.' 10. 1 fohn 17 3. v Ita, 53. 2. w l Cor. 2.14. meantime, this lav ing i 1 umination m regeneration, js to Pf. 73 . 23 .' e Heb. 6. 4. a John 1. 3. b Num. 24 - 3.4 s Ma .7.21 .22 Rom.2. 17—. Z 3 d Mar. 13. 20, 21. Heb. 6.4, f a.Theft, in hypothefi) under all the circumftances of it, fo as 2 - »9.*Gal.2. 14. & ch.j. 1. £ Rom. 1.18, becautioufly diftinguifhed from the illumination,which is given in the external call, z in which fpiritual light is rather held upto view, than conveyed 1 into the foul; «r if fome degree of light be bellowed by an internal work, b that however-is either merely fpetuhliv* , ex¬ torting only an acknowledgement and profeflion of the truth, e or if it be practical alfo, is fo only (in theft) Or reprefenting only, in a^general manner, the good- nefs of the truth acknowledged by him : d But not to excite a love to the truth, * or engage us in obedi¬ ence thereto, fo as to walk in it ing the truth in unrighteoufnefs. £ XV. As this fpiritual life, enerarion, is feated in the will , D bun is rather hold- beflowed in reg- it is ftiled a new heart , Regenerauoa of ihe wilh 26 * ?fal. Jl.ia. *Ezek. 56.25. k l er * 5 2 - 39 > 4o.IIcb.8.10. *Ezek. 11.19. 20. “Rdtp.. 2.14. 1 5."Luke 18. 10, 11, 12. Phil. 3. 5. 6. «Maikio-19, 20, 21. H«b. 6. 4, 5. P Eph t. 1.5. *3 2 Cor. 3 5. ? Rom 7 22. 2 Tl?ef. 3. 5. 0/2 Regeneration. hearty h a heart offlefb, or a heart eafily affeded, 1 a heart on which God hath written his fear, * by which the re¬ generate walk in hisfiaiutes. 1 For the Holy Ghoft im¬ plants in the heart or'.will, by regeneration, a new in¬ clination or propenfity towards fpiritual good. For altho’ the will hath naturally a kind of propenfity to¬ ward morel good in general, m and toward external re¬ ligious duties, n whereby, in duties, with whichfalvation is not connected , an unregenerate perfon may lometimes perform things really wonderful : 0 Yet, their propen¬ fity towards lpiritual and faying good, mankind havs utterly loft by fin 5 hence they are faid to be dead in fin, p and infufficient to think even the leaf!; thought fpiritually good. 9 Wherefore it is abfolutely neceftary, that a new propenfity toward fpiritual good, be reftored to the will. r For altho’ the will doth naturally follow the lajl dictate of the practical undemanding, fo that,, were the underflanding but fufficiently illuminated, an immediate renovation of the will might feem unnccef- fary j yet this is to he admitted for truth, only when the underftanding, in its laft dictate, judgeth agree¬ ably to the inclination of the will. For that is good, with reference to the will, which is agreeable to its propenfity. So that, if we fhould make the abfurd fuppofition of the under/landing's being moft clearly enlightened, and yet the will not renewed, the will would not follow the pradical judgment, becaufe in that cafe the underftanding wouM not didatc agree¬ ably to it’s propenfity. v. g. If David’s underftand¬ ing dilated, that chaftity at this very time, all cir- cumftances confidered, ought to be chofen by him, rather than adultery ; yet whrlft his underftanding didateth not agreeably to the prefent propenfity of his will, which inclineth to adultery, the will wodld by no means follow the laft didate of the underftanding. It is therefore in this fpiritual propenfity of the will, that the feeds of all thofe graces, which .are ncceffary / On Regeneration. 27 • r John 3. 9- Regeneration in the inferi¬ or faculties. to falvation are contained : Hence th e feed of the re¬ generate is faid to remain in them, by reaion of which they cannot abandon themfelves to fin, 5 XVI. Nor is the fpirituai life, in regeneration, be¬ llowed only upon the fuperior faculties of the foul, the undertlanding and will : But alfo upon the inferior or fenfitive faculties •, the affedtions, fenfes, and even the members of the body. Hence the apoftie expfefly aferibes fandtification not only to the fpirit, by which he feems to underhand the fpirituai faculties, fuch as agree to fpirits only, as the underftanding and will ; but alfo to the feul , (Pfuche , properly the animal foul, from which we arc railed pfuchikoi , natural or fenfual, as it is rendered,) which denotes the inferior faculties fuch as are common to brutes ; yea, he extends fanc- tification even to the body and members of the body For as by fin a fpirituai death and irregularity are bro’t upon thefe faculties, whereby they drive againft the fpirit: u Which irregularity is exprefly reprefented, as * Gal.5.57. criminal by the Holy Spirit, (1) As it takes place in . the affeblicns or paflions of the foul, r (2) In the fenji- £ R ] 0m ' 5 * 7 * five faculties v. g„ feeingf and bearing, a (3) In thebodi- ^ W members, b £fc ; Therefore a fpirituai life, by rege- i Thef. 4 neration, muftbe reftored to thefe faculties, to enable Rom- 1. 26. them rightly to difeharge their refpedlive fervices. c » p^]' 2 ‘ 14 ‘ This life in the inferior faculties is a dijpofition to obedi- 5 ’ 1 iThef 5 23, (nee, whereby they become fitted not to oppofe the ar.d 3. 19. . - . - fpirit, or underftandingandwilljbuttobe infubjedtion J5> 16. to, or to be led by the fpirit. d As at fir ft, in a ftate 6 ’ IO g of integrity, by bur original righteoufhefs, which con - R 0 m,6, 1 2’L fifted in the divine image, thole inferior faculties vyere 14. 17. jam. moft beautifully arranged under the goyernment of *• 20. the mind. XVII. The fpirituai life is beftowed by regenera- Regeneration • tion, only in the fird adi (or principle) not in the fe- con *ers Ae (ond adds (or operation,) underftood either as habits or fp ir > tu « 1 ffe . £or as, by natural generation, a man receives 01i i /s neither 1 in. &8 On Regeneration. neither the habits or ads of reafoning, fpeaking, op ; writing, but only the power, which under proper cir- cumftances, in due time, comes forth into ad ; So | alto, in regeneration, there is not beftowed upon the eled, any faith, hope, love, repentance, dec. either as to habit or ad ; but the power only of performing thele exercifes, is beftowed ; by which, the regenerate ; perfon doth not as yet actually believe, or repent ; but only is capacitated thereto : Wherefore the unre¬ generate are emphatically raid, to be unable, either to I Jee, as referring to the underftanding, or to enter, refer- i ^}ohn 3. 3. ring co the will, into the kingdom of God. e Which , aad 3. power, in converfion, which fucceeds regeneration, j proper circumftances being fuppofed, is, in due time, I brought into abhtal exercile. So that one truly rege- j nerate may, both as to'habit and ad, be for a time J ' an unbeliever, deftitute of repentance and walking in I fin. .As appears, more clear than the light of the fun, in the inftances of thole, who are regenerated in their tjer. j, ;. mothers wombs, or at their baptifm, as Jeremiah, f John the baptiff, 1 and Timothy, h who neverth'elefs 3 1 5 not) till they arrived to the years of diferetion, i perform the adual exercifes ot faith or repentance. So that regeneration, in which the fpiritual life is be- ' flowed in the firjl ad or principle only, differs from | converfion, by which this principle of life is brought into adiual exercife, not only in order of nature ; but , fometimes alio in order of time. However we mean siot to deny here, that it may be, and often is the cafe, I that a fandification of the fpirit, in a general fenfl, comprehending vocation, regeneration, cenverfton & •fandification properly fo called, is effeded at one and the fame time : Which feems to have been the cafe with the thief on the crols, converted* by Chrift in ‘-Luke 23 40. iii s ] a (i; moments.* We only mean that they may be feperated as to time, and that oft times this is ctiually the cale. XVJJi On Regeneration. XVIII. Since therefore regeneration conveys the fpintual life, in the firft a< 5 t or principle ; it may be eafily determined, i. I hat in regeneration a man is merely pafftye , as in the firft reception of a natural fife, the iubjedt of it can be only merely pajfive.^ For if he did any thing toward begetting life in himfelf ; he mult be already alive , fince a dead perfon cannot act; and if already alive, then furely life is not be¬ gotten in him. ^‘ 2 * We may determine what ought to be held as to a preparation for regeneration : For there may two kinds of preparation come under confidera- tion here •, one , which is fuppofed to proceed from the perjon to be regenerated, whereby, he prepares himfelf to receive regeneration ; or by the power of his own free will he becomes more cWpofed and prepared for regeneration than others, 1 his - , without the plaineft contradiction, can by no mieans be admitted ; fines regeneration is an operation upon a man fpirituallv W, into whom the firft a& or principle of fpirkuaY fife is infufed : Now, if he prepared himfelf thereto, he doubtldsly muft do it by a previous principle of life, and. io muft be iuppoft-d alive, before life is im~ p anted in him. The other kind of preparation is fup- po.ecl to proceed from God , the author of regeneration. And again, this preparation, which is the work of Ood, may refpedt regeneration, either as taken in a larger fenffe, as denoting converfion alfo,-and the term or immediate end of it, viz. Faith and adlual repen¬ tance, in which converfion terminates : That God ifteth martv preparatory means to regeneration, taken in this, lenfe, by the help of which one may attain to this faith and repentance, we fhall endeavour to fhew by divine affiftance, in a future dilcourfe : Or this preparation may relped regeneration in a more Jimic- pT en ' e ’ as denoting only the introduction of the firft ^ or principle of fpiritual life.. Nor, in this fenfe. 29 The afrefti > ons of rege- neiation. 1 A man is en¬ tirely paffive therein k ! <‘hn 1 1.43, with Eph, ?. y, 6. 2. How far regeneration Jidmits of any prepaiation. C'J -John 11.43 Gen. 3. 7 3. In what Jer.fe regene¬ ration is if - refiTtible. ? A&s 7. 51- ejo. 11,43.44 PEzek.36.2;. z 6, 27. Jer. 32. 39, 4°* ^ompjreGal. 1. 13. Ails 9 S—6,&2Z. 5 with v. 10- & 36.9, 10. 14, with ver. 19. 4. In what {erUc regene¬ ration is ir.- am'.ffible. , % iTohn 3. 9. Ezek.;6, 27. £ 11. 19 2 °- Jcr.3239.4® 0/z Regeneration. can any preparation, truly and properly fo called, b e admitted, any more than took place in the reiurrecci- on of Lazarus to a natural life . 1 If, however, you chufe to admit here fome kind of preparation in tho.e, who arc to be made the Subjects of thus Spiritual life, fuch, for inftance, a 3 in drying wood, which is to be fee on fire, fuch alfo as God ufed in the work of crea¬ tion, when he created on the Britt day a fhapeieis mala, which be formed and modified in the following days, and fuch as he peculiarly ufed in the creation of man, forming firft the b®dy of clay, or the nb, into which . he afterwards breathed the breath of life ." [ fay, n m this fenfeyou chufe, with many orthodox Divines, to admit fome preparation, which is the work oi Goc, 1 have no great obje&ion thereto : And then tms pre paration mav confifl in the previous external call, to far as God, by the offers of grace, enlightens the mine of the perfon, who is to be regenerated, concerning the nature of redemption, and the terms of lalvaaon and invites him to embrace the fame. XX. 3. We may hence determine, that regenera tioh is irrefijlable, and in what fenle this is to be un derftood. For it you confider what the perfon, wh is to be regenerated is, a child of wrath dead in Jin \ hi hath certainly depravity enough to refill : n But if yo confider, that it is God, who regenerates and quicken thefubjed of regeneration can no more reffl Go<| than Lazarus of old could have refitted Chnft, whj raifing him to a natural life.- Nor hath he * wtU refill, for, by the fpiritual life inftantaneoufly produ ed, all inclination or defire of refitting is lupprtfied taken away.* . npv f XXf. 4: That the grace of regeneration, canue be loft , and the grounds upon which tins Inamtft'.bii is founded. 5 In this indeed, it differs fromthe^ fpiritual life, erfifled in creation, by the beIl °'* r " oi original righteoofnefs ; through the lofs of wh. On ’Regeneration. iy On, our firft Parents becam tfpiritually dead f fince he fpiritual life bellowed by regeneration is never entirely loft. However, the unfailing permanency of this life is by no means to be aferibed to the fxrmntfs and conftancy of the regenerate, or the iirtngih and perfection of the fpiritual life ♦, for there is, and always dwells, in the regenerate. To much corruption, that they are a$ likely, by their own conduit, to deftroy this life, as our fir ft parents were ; and indeed more fo. beciufe they, before the iofs of their fpiritual life, were perfectly righteous and holy. 8 But the impofil- biiirv of looting the grace of regeneration depends, (i) On the grace of election and of the divine purpofe, hence the gifts and calling of God are without repen¬ tance. 1 And, (2) Upon preferving grace. 0 XXII. 5. That this fpiritual life, as conveyed in regeneration, is but very imperfect , it being only the fhrft adt or principle of fpiritual life, and only the feedx of fpiritual graces, which gradually like the feeds of vegetables, grow up into the ftalk, biotihms and fruit. Hence the regenerate, merely as fuch, are tilled new born babes f babes in Chrijlf who ftill have need to be nurfed, and indeed with food Tufted to the infantile ftate : n That they may grow and wax firong in the fpirit, as is faid of John the baptift -,° that is, in order that the firjl ad or principle of life, conveyed in regenera¬ tion, might, by converfion, be drawn forth into adtual faith and repentance, which are the fecond aits or ope¬ rations, and, if I may fo fay, the branches of this life: And at length by fanftific&tion , produce all thefe good toorks, which art the fruits of the fpiritP This fpi¬ ritual life is indeed fo fmall, that it cannot be well known and diftinguifhed, but by its growth and exer- cifes *, as habits cannot indeed be otherwife known, than by their Operations. * The argumentative part. XXIII. The moft of the controverfies on this fub- may, without much difficulty, be determined from 3 1 r E»h.a. i.$; * Keel. 7. 2 * 4 - °l.uke x. Zo. f Gal. 5. 2 i. C^.1 .Whether regeneration confifteth ia reformation of manners } 3 a # iCdr.^.^.6. i C >r. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7. Reafon3 of our oppo- ncnss. On Regeneration> o our doslrin&l propofitions. The firft quediom upori this fubjccd is. Whether regeneration confideth in a reformation of manners ? The rank. Pelagians, as they deny original fin, the lof$ of original righteoufnefs, and our being in a (late of fpiritual death ; and hold only to external grace, which prescribes to man his duty, and excites by arguments to the performance of it : So they allow no regeneration, but what confideth. in a reformation of manners, effected by the external grace of God. The Socinians, thofe ranked Pelagi¬ ans, tread in their fteps, and affirm the fame with them. The Reformed confider, a reformation of manners, as belonging, not to regeneration, in its ftridt and proper fenfe, but to convcrfion and farudification ; while they place regeneration folcly in the reformation of the inner man, the underftanding, will, and other facul¬ ties, as we have fhewn under the doctrinal part. Which they fupport by the following reafons, (1) Man, by breaking the covenant of works, h^th loft his original righteoufnefs, in which the Jpiritual life of the foul con¬ fideth, (and by the' help of which alone our fird pa¬ rents were enabled to perform fpiritual good, as we have confidered in a former difeourfe,,' and fo by fin hath contracted jpiritual death. (2) The feriptures ex¬ prefly extend regeneration, to the renewing of the in¬ ner parts of the foul, to a new heart , a new fpirit, to the writing of the law upon the mind, and upon the heart •, as in the dofirinal part. (3) A real reformati¬ on of manners , cannot relult from any thing, but a previous principle oflifefand a renewing of the mind and heart. 6 Nor have our adverfaries any thing to urge in iupport of the contrary, but their own incon¬ fident fuppofitions, fuch as, (r) That the image of God did not contain original righteoufnefs, which we have confuted in a former difeourfe. (2) That man was not deprived of the image of God, fo far as it confided in original righteoufnefs , for cranfgrefiing the: \i' (1 tr U tl (i ( On Reptncratitn. S3 Jaw of paradife. Which w; have already confuted. (3) That man did not by the lofs he fuftained, con- tradt fpiritual death, and univerfal impotence to fpiii- tual and having good, (which hath been already con¬ futed.,) And therefore, (4) That there is nothing needs reformation in man bpthis manners or moral conduct. The faifity of which naturally appears from what hath been already obferved. XXiV. Queft:. Second. Doth regeneration flow Q® Whether from the free will of man, or from God alone ? The dT'nj*- rank Pelagians, with whom the Socinians exactly 0 o the l ee- agree, as they luppofe that the nature and free will willbf man ? of rrun were not impaired by the fir ft fin, lo'they alcribe their regeneration, which they make to con fid niffAent in a reformation of manners, to free will alone, except- ing that they allow grace externally directing and in¬ fluencing in a wav of moral fuafion *, yet fuch grace as may be rejected by the free will of man. The Se¬ mi-Pelagians, with whom the Jefuits and Arminiarrs agree, admit indeed, that the human nature was im¬ paired by fin *, that blindntjs was thereby brought upon the underftanding, and a certain debility (tepor) upon the wilt: Therefore they hold to fome kind of internal grace, which may be excited, even as to the will by external grace in a*way of moral fuafion ; but fueh as may neverthelcls be rejebled by the free will of mss. The Synergifise, among the Lutherans, with whom Macreiius, in his ecclefiaftical hiftory, reckons Vicio- rinus Strigeliu? ; hold that the power, which man na¬ turally hath, may contribute jomtthiug towards their regeneration. The Lutherans in general hold, that a, man can, by the power of his free will, at lead refrain from pofitively refilling the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration, i. e. by the ufe of external means, he may as it were open the door to the fpiric, when he is about to introduce the fpiritual life. The Reformed, altho’ they allow, that after a fpiritual quickening is E " effected 34 r Cant. i. 4, Ter. 31. I'i. Reafons of the orthodox opinion. * Pf. 51- 12. * 2 Cor 5 t 7. * I fa. 43. 7. , w 2 Cor. 3.5. * Phil. 2. 13. * Rom. 9.1 6. * 1 Cor. 1, 7. Heterodox objections, c Deut. to. 16. Jer. 4 4. 4 Ezek.iS. 31. • Rom. 12- z. f J >el 2. 13. Mat. 4. 17. s Mat. 2237, h Rom. 5 5 On Regeneration . effcdled by regeneration, a man may, in converfion, co-operate with God unto the exercifing of faith and repentance : r Yet, in regeneration drittly fo called, they deny that a man can do any thing aSlively \ but affirm that heis merely paffive. Becaufe, (\) Before re¬ generation is effected, man is fpiritualjy dead : there¬ fore cannot, either in whole, or in part, contribute any thing towards begetting life in himfelf : for this con¬ tributing of fomething would (uppofe life. Becaufe, (2) In regeneration there is bellowed a new heart, a new fpirit , on which is written the law of God ; which certainly is to be aferibed to God alone. (3) There is in regeneration a creation and a new creature / which can be attributed only to God. u (4) Of ourfelves we are inefficient to think even the lead thought, with which falvation is connected. w (5) GW is faid to work in us, to will according to his good pleafure/ (6) The feriptures exprefly declare, that it is not of him that uuilleth , or of him that runneth •, but of God that fheweth mercy.* (7) If man were, either in whole, or in parr, the author of his own regeneration •, he would make himfelf to differ , contrary to the apodles afier- tion. b Nor doth what our adverfaries allege, favour their opinion in the lead ; a«, (1) That we are fome- times commanded to circumcife the forefkin of our hearts f to make to ourfelves a new heart, and a new fpirit , d to be renewed in the fpirit of our mindsf and to turn ourfelves to God/ To this I anfwer, (1) It is no ways incon¬ fident, that God ffiould both command and freely bejlow the fame thing, according te the well known expref- fion of Auidin ; da , quod jubes ("freely give what thou , commanded)—thus God commandeth love •/ yet it is • he, that fbedeth it abroad in our hearts/ (t) Thofe places of feripture, which are alleged, fpeak not of regeneration , ftridtly fo called, by which God infufeth the fird principle of life 5 but of converfion , wherein hebringech forth the life, already bedowed, into ac¬ tual On Regeneration. tual exercife.' They object, (2) That if a man doth nothing towards his own regeneration, but is purely paflive, he is regenerated as a flock, or ftone. To which I anfwer, this by no means follows, fince the lub]cct of regeneration hath been previoufly taught by the external call of the gofpel, and by moral luafion. They objedt, 5. That to fuppofe a perfon doth not exercife a free felf-determining power as to his rege¬ neration, would deftroy the freedom of the will. To which I anfwer, (1) A mans free will is no more con¬ cerned in his fpirituai regeneration , than in his natural generation. (2) Regeneration is not an action of the man, that it fhould be determined by his free will •, but a mere paffion, in which he only admits (or is the objedt oO the adtion of God, being capable fas a # rati- onal creature) of having Inch an action performed upon him. XXV. Queft. Third. Is the adtion of God, which regenerates a man, moral , or phyfical ? The rank Pe¬ lagians with the Socinians, as they place the nature of free will in indifference , and fuppofe alfothat the free will of man is unimpaired by fin, and therefore that a man, by his own power, can do whatfoever God re- quireth of him •, allow nothing, but a moral adlion or agency of God in regeneration, in which, he teacheth what is to be done, and by motives perfuadeth to the doing of it. The Semi-Pelagians, together with the Jefuits and Arminians, as they acknowledge fome in¬ ternal depravity as the effedt of fin ; fo they likewife allow fome phyfical agency of God in regeneration, which removes that depravity ; But, as they reftrain the depravity, arifing from fin, to the inferior faculties of the foul, or at molt, to the underftanding •, fo they allow the phyfical agency of God, only with refpedt to thefe faculties : while, as to the will or free will of man, they hold only to a moral agency ; yea, they fuppofe, that this phyfical adtion of God may be re- jedtedi 35 * Cant. 1. 4. jer. 3:. 18. John 6. 44. d'S- whether the adtion of God, which regenerates, be moral or phyfical. Different’ fenuments. Arguments or cne ortho¬ dox. 5 Eph. 2. 5. k C'eut. 30 6 . 1 Pf. 51 12. s:-.h. 2. to. ”* Ezek. 3 6. 25, 26, 27. Jer. 3,. 33. * John 6. 44 65. * Eph. 1. 19 20. }-.'eterodnx rDeut. 10 .t 6. jer. 4. 4. lEzek 18.31 r Phil. 2 . 13, *Dcut. 10.15 ’John 5.;. 5 * Deal.so, 12 » 3 * On Regeneration. jecled by the power of the will. The Reformed, altho’ they acknowledge a moral agency of God in the ex¬ ternal call of the gofpel. which is previous to regene¬ ration ; and tho* they allow both a phyfical and moral agency together in converfwn , which follows regenera¬ tion : Yet in regeneration ft: idly fo called, they admit only a mere abfoiute ' phsfical agency. Bccaufe, (1) Regeneration is the firfi implantation of the fpiritual life before which, the perfon regenerated wasfpiritu- ally dead. ' Now moral fuafion is no more fufficient, or even conducive, to the begeting of the fpiritual, than it is, of the natural life. Beraufe, ( 2) That fpi- ritual circumcifiorf —new creation 1 — taking away the heart of Jlone—putting within us a heart of flejh— writing the law thereupon i m — and dawingf by which terms regene¬ ration is exprefled, is not a moral, but a purely phrfical operation. Becaufe, ( 3 ) That fuperabundant grta. nefs ef divine power, which was exerted in the raifing of Chrilt from the dead, was not mural, but phyficalxn the highefl: fenfe : And the apoftle teftifies, 0 that the fame power is exerted in our regeneration. The principal things, which can be urged upon the contrary fide, are, (1) That we read of God’s bringing about rege¬ neration by commanding it, (which, without doubt, be [peaks a moral way of operation) as '■'•circumcife the forejkin of your bear Is , p make to your [elves a new heartf , work out your own fclvation . 55r To which I anfwer. In . thefe commands Goa fpeaks to his church, to his peo¬ ple, who had long been his delight •,* therefore they mud have been already regenerate ; mice, without re¬ generation, no one can lee, or enter into the kingdom . of God. 1 Therefore, by chefe commands, God doth not mean to bring about regeneration, as it denotes the fail infufion of the fpiritual life *, but the drawing forth of that life, which is infufed by regeneration, into the fecond atfU or confequent exercifes, (which is ( exprefly mentioned in the pafTage," from whence the/ 37 On Regeneration* fird of thefe commands is quoted,} which is done in converfton , that follows upon regeneration, in which nr .in being drawn runs after God ft being turned, he ac- * ( -' ant *• 4 - lively converts and turns him.elf to God by the power of his grace. x It is objected, (2) If regeneration is*Jer. 31. iS. cffeCtedby the phyfical agency of God alone, without any co operation of the man, then man is regenerated as a (lock or a done. To which I anfwer, 1. Regene¬ ration according to the feripmres, refpedts man as Ipi- ritually deadd as pod fled &[ a heart of ft one, h unfit for a E ph- 2- 5* any fpiritual exercifes : c But is a man, that is fpiritual- b Ezc ^ " 3 [ ]y dead, having an heart of done, and being unqtiali- Vf Cor! 3.5,. fled for vital operations, in any proper fenfe, the. fame as a dock or a done ? 2. Regeneration is wrought in man, after he hath been externally called, to whom grace hath been offered in a way o (moral iuafion, and he invited to the reception of it ; thus, fo far at lead, he is regenerated, not as a dock or a done, but as a man. It is objected, 3 Thar, by a phyfical regenera¬ tion, the liberty of the will would be impaired and even defiroyed. To which I anfwer: Since by rege¬ neration fpiritual life is beftowed upon the will of man, which was before dead, it is fo far from being defiroyed , that it is redored to its proper life 4 and per¬ fection. XXVI. Queft. Fourth. Doth the phy Heal opera- whe- tion of regeneration affedt the will immediately ? The t her the phy- 1 rank Pelagians, with the Socinians, allow n® phyfical foal operati- \ operation of God at all in regeneration 1 but hold on of re I e J!‘' only to a moral and external operation. The Semi thc will im- Pelagians, with the Jefuits and Arminiant, allow fonts Aicdiately. phyfical efficiency in regeneration ; but fuch as affe&s not the will, or free wiil •, but only the other faculties of the foul. Some of the Reformed, v. g, John Ca¬ meron, and many others allow indeed a phyfical ope¬ ration upon the will but that only by the medium of the underd&nding, which God s in regeneration, fo powerfully 3 * On 'Regeneration. Reafons for the affirma¬ tive. d Phil. 2. 13. * Pfal. 5 1. 12. Ezek.36. 25. 26. 27 f Gen. 6. 5. & S. 2 1. e Rom. 3. 7. powerfully enlightens , and convinces, that the will can¬ not but follow it’s laffc practical didtate. The fy nod of Dort, with moft of the Reformed, extend the phy¬ fical operation of regeneration to the will, and that im- mediately , as it begets in the will a new propenjity to¬ wards fpiriiual good, which, in my judgment, is moft agreeable to truth. Becaufe, (1) The feriptures do, in exprefs terms, aferibe the phyfical agency of rege¬ neration to the willf it is God that worketh in us hath to will , &c. Becaufe, (2) In terms of the fame mean¬ ing, the feriptures extend it to the heart, by which is always meant the will in feripture:* That God creates a new heart, and taking away the heart of ftone, puts this new heart within us, and writes his law upon it : moft certainly this is done by a phyfical operation. (3) The will is itfelf depraved by fin, as well as theunder- ftanding, and inferior faculties f hence we frequently read of a hard heart , by reafon of which, man is not fubjebl to the lav/ of God, neither indeed can he be. 1 ' (4) That corruption, which is feated in the will , w r ouldj not be taken away by an illumination of the under- ftanding : nor doth the will follow the laft didfate of the practical underftanding, unlefs it dictates agreea¬ bly to the propenfity of the will: v. g. if the will hath a propgnfity to carnal things, and the underftanding fhould judge, in the fulleft manner, that fpiticual things at this very time, all cireumftances confidered, wen to be proferred •, yet the will would not follow : be caufe the will accounts that only as good , which is Objeftions in favour of the negative. agreeable to its propenfity. Nor have they, who arej of the contrary opinion, any thing to objedl here, ex¬ cept, (i ) That upon this fuppofmon the jreedom of thr will would be taken away. Which objedtion we hav removed in folving the preceding queftion. (2) Thai, the will always follows the lajl didlate of the pradfica underftanding ; therefore, were the underftanding bu powerfully enlightened, fo as to judge that fpiritua things. I On Regeneration. things were better for them , than any fenfual enjoy¬ ments ; the will muft necefiarily follow : And there¬ fore an immediate operation of God upon the will feems unneceftary, were the underftanding but luffi- ciently enlightened. To which I anfwer, (i) That; lad attuai dictate of the practical underftanding doth not take away that habitual corruption, which is in the •will. (2) That, upon the whole, is good to the will, which is agreeable to its inclination ; wherefore, if the pradtical judgment determine agreeably to this incli¬ nation of the will, the will always follows •, but if contrary thereto, however powerful the dictates of the underftanding may be ; yet the will doth not obey: It is therefore necefiary, that in regeneration, a new propenfity be infufed into the will towards fpiritual good, that the pradtical underftanding may didtate agreeably thereto.'* XXVII. * Prefident Edwards in his enquiry into the freedom of the will, p2ge 12. Bofion edition, obferves thus, with regard to the will’s always following the laft di&ste of the undemanding. “ It appears from tbefe things, that in fome ferfe, the nxjillal~ nxiayi fot/ows the tail diflate of the underflandirg. But then the under- flanding muH be taken in a large fenfe, ss including the whole faculty of perception or apprshenfion, and not merely what is cal¬ led reajon or judgement. If by the diftste of the uoderftanditsg is meant What reslon declares to be bell or mo ft for the perfon’s hap- pintfs, taking in the whole of his duration, it is pot true that the will always follows the laft dictate of the undet handing. Such r a didtate of reafoa is quite a different matter frora things appear¬ ing now raoft cgreeable ; all things being put together, which per¬ tain to the minds prefent perceptions, apprehenfiona or ideas, in any r^fpedt. Altho’ that didtate of reafon, when it takes place, is jj one thing that is put into the feales, and is to be confidered as a thing that has concern in the compound influence which moves and induces the will ; and is one thing that is to be confidered in eftimating the degree of that appearance of good which the will always follows", either as having its influence added toother things, or fubdufted from them. When it concurs with other things, then it’s weight is added to them, as put into the fame Icale ; bet when it is againft them, it is as 2 weight in the oppofite fcale, where it I; refills the influence of other things : yet it’s refinance is often 0- vereeme by their greater weight, and fa the aft of the will is de¬ termined in oppofiiiou to it. ’’ 40 0 . 5 - he¬ me r revene- - rat? be tr- leftibteor not. Different featiments. On XXVII. Queft. Fifth, Regeneration. Is regeneratiou irrefiftible or nor ? The rank Pelagians and Socimans, as chcy allow only a moral operation of God in regeneration, and fuppofe the free will of man to be equally indif¬ ferent , either to receive, or to rejedt the divine influ¬ ence ; hold it to be rfifiible : The Semi-Pelagians, with the Jefiiics and Arminians, as they hold the re¬ generating operation t© be pbyjical in part, as it refpedts the underftanding and inferior faculties ; and only moral in part, as it refpedts the will ; they maintain! that it is in the power of the free will, fo to refill the divine operation, that regeneration would by no means he effedted. Some among the Reformed do not like the term irrefijiikle , tho’ they admit the term injuperable. We have allowed, in the doctrinal part, that the moral fuafion of the external call, and alio converfion, lo far as it is effected by moral fuafion, is refidibie : But re¬ generation we affirm o be abfolutely irrefiftible \ fori the following reafons, [ i) Regeneration is effected by the will of God, s which the apofllc Paul exprefly af- hiorrV'iV kn * “>' be irrefiftibleF (2) God worketh in us both 1 Phil 2. 13. to will and *:o do, 1 asd therein taketh away all incli- k [ohBio.29. nation to refill, (3) By regeneration, the Father, who ^ John 6. 44- j s g rta i er than allf draweth thofe who are regenerated. 1 And, (f, Draweth them by the fame exceeding greatnefs of power, by which he raifed Jsfus from the dead." (5) He fo draweth in regeneration, that they, who are 1 draw::, do infallibly corned 1 (6) By regeneration he taketh away the heart or done, by which we make re¬ finance to the divine call. 0 (7) God begeteth us by- regeneration, ? which act a man can no more refift, than he could his own natural generation. (S) B# re¬ generation God quickeneth, or maketh alive , q which the fubj’edt of regeneration can no more refill, than x dead man can refill his being raifed to a natural life, v g. no more thanLazarus could refiflChrifl/ (9) It a man coa/sTrefift, by rcafonofthe total corruption of his Arguments of the •ortho dox. 65. m Eplf. 20. 1. r 9. * John 6. 37. with v. 44. ® Ezek. ii. 19. & 36.2^, 36, 27. r John 1. 13. \Eph. 2. 5. T .Jch» It. 43 44- raune. On Regeneration. 41 nature, s he would continually do it. 1 (10) If he could 3 7 ’ 9 - refill, and yet did not a&ually refill ; he w®uld have ® nci of himfelf, the glory of not refilling, and of his own t j. 5r. regeneration \ and fo would make himjelf to differ, con¬ trary to the apoflle Paul’s affertion. 1 * ^ 11) If any one » i Cor.4. 7. could at his pleafure rejift the divine agency in regene¬ ration, then all could, and fo it might be the cafe, that not one would be regenerated, and thus the whole glorious dcfign of redemption might be fruflrated , contrary to the apoftle Paul’s affertion, w and the gol- *2T'm.2.T$. den chain of predeflination be broken. 1 What our * 8.30. adverfaries objedt here is of no weight at all, v. g. ( 1 ) ^ tj t ^’°^ e s te They allege the words of Stephen, Ye always refift the r0£ j ox . Holy GhoftS To which I anfwer : They refilled the * Acts 7. 51* Holy Ghofl, not when regenerating, but externally calling , and that not indeed immediately ; but by men, in a moral way, as plainly appears from the following verfe, Whom of the prophets have not your fathers perfecu- ted ? 2. They allege thefe words of our Saviour, How often would I have gathered thy children together , &e. and ye would not ? h To which I anfwer : By the ex- kMath.23 37; preffion, I would have gathered you , our Saviour doth not mean, by the exertion of a. regenerating power, but by calling them in a way of moral fuafion, as the pro¬ phets did, who wete fent unto them for this purpofe , whom they floned. 3. They objedl thele words from the Pfalms, O that my people had hearkened unto me , and Ijrael had walked in my ways . c To which I anfwer : <= Pf. h. '14; The text plajnfy fpeaks of refinance made not to re¬ generation ; but to the external call: as appears from v. 9. to 12. They objedl, 4. What is laid in Ifaiah, What could I have done more to my vineyard , that I have not done in it ? d To which I anfwer: The prophet a if a . ^ is fpeaking, (t) of the benefits purchafed by Chrift for the church in general, not of that fpecial benefit, which is purchafed {or each of the eledl in particular. {2) He is fpeaking of external means, not of the grace F ®f 4 2 tion to rcgc ■Ecration On "Regeneration. of regeneration which is internal. They objedl, 5 . That, upon this fuppofition, no one can be regenera¬ ted, but thofe who adlually are fo. To which I an- fwer : With refpedl to man , it is true, no one can be regenerated, but he who actually is fo ; becaufe all are dead in fin : but, with refpedi to God , all things •Mat. 19.36. are poffible.' They objedt, 6. That upon this fcheme, they who refill do the will of God. To which I an- fwer : They refill the preceptive will of God, which only prefcribes to rational creatures their duty ; but they do not refill the decretive will of God, which go¬ verns the event. Q 6 Wbe- XXVIII. Quell. Sixth. Doth regeneration admit th«r there be of any preparation ? The Pelagians and Semi-Pelagi- any prepara- ans, with all their followers, the Socinians, Jefuits and Arminians, maintain the affirmative ; becaufe they hold that the efficacy of converting grace depends upon the freewill of man •, and fuppofe that tne is by nature more prepared for converting grace than ano¬ ther ; or that he can thus prepare himfelf by his own power. The Reformed admit indeed of preparations in regeneration, taken in a large fenfe, to fignify the fame asconverfion ; thus Perkins in his Cafes of Con¬ fidence, Sedt. I. Ch. v. vi. xi. Dr. Ames in his Caf. Con. Lib. II. Ch. iv. How far preparations may be admitted, and how far not, we have explained in the doRrinal part, § XIX. viz. That regeneration, under¬ flood to fignify only the frjt implantation of the fpi- ritual life, admits of no preparations, excepting what arifeth from the offers and moral invitations of the external call of the gofpel ; if you chufe to call that a preparation ; becaufe the firll implantation of the fpi- iitual life is effedted in a moment, juft as a refurredtion to a natural life is; nor can there be any middle ftate between fpiritual life and fpiritual death. Q^.Wfcetlief XXIX. Quell. Seventh. Can regeneration once can ™' 1 ever ever be wktily loft ? The Pelagians, with all wholly loll* ’ ' th© 43 On Regeneration, the favourers of Pelagianifm, maintain the affirmative; becaufe they ftrenuoufly hold to fuch a free will in man, as can either dived itfelf of grace received, or receive it at plcafure, (with whom, in this point at lead, the Lutherans agree ; as they hold that one truly regenerate may totally fall from grace/ The Reformed hold it can never be wholly lod ; but this they fuppofe to depend, not upon the power of the re¬ generate, but upon God’s immutable decree of election , and his almighty upholding power : which is evident from the following reafons, (i ) The feed of the rege¬ nerate is faid to abide in them/ (2 ) It is faid of the regenerate, in confequence of their being endowed with a heart of flefh , that they fhall walk in God’s da- tutes ffball keep his judgments and do them. ('3) It is evident from the infeperable connection there is be¬ tween prededination and glorification/ (4) The foun¬ dation of God Jlandetb Cure , having this fed, The Lord knoweth them that are his. 1 (5) The truth of God dands engaged for the perfeverence of the regenerate/ Nor doth it help our adverfaries to objeCt, fi) That a righteous man may turn from his righteoufnefs. 1 For I anlwer : The prophet is fpeaking here, [1] of a natural power \ds petentia caufa,) by which, even the truly righteous confidered in themfelves, can fall from grace ; but, not of what will actually take place (de potentia effeflus) as tho’ they, who are upheld by God, could fall away into total apodacy. [2] The prophet Ipeaks conditionally , if the righteous man fhould turn, he would die ; and not 'abfolutely, that a truly righte¬ ous perfon can actually fall away. But, [3] The pro¬ phet doth not fpeak of the truly righteous, or thofe who are internally fo by regeneration, converfion and fanCtification, who never can fall away; u but of thofe who were righteous in appearance only, or in their own eftimation.* (2) Our adverfaries infid upon there be¬ ing indances of thofe who have finally fallen away i as Rofons of (he orthodox. f 1 John 3.9, c Ezek. 36. *6, 27. fc Rom. 8 30. 1 2Tim.2.r 9. fc 1 Pet. 1.3,4, j.Johpio.rS, 29. 1 Ezek.3. 20. and 18. 24. Objections of the hetero¬ dox. ■ Pf. 37. 17 18. to. 24 J25. 1. 2. ; 1 Math. 9. 3 with Luks it. 9. 10. 44 On Regeneration. m 2 T' m. 4 * i Tim. 19. 20. • I Johug 10 1. hiiT% 1 John 17.12. as Judas, 1 Dcmas, m Hymeneus and Alexander :* To which I anfwer. It remains ro be proved that they were ever truly regenerated; this text is exprefly a- gainft it IVhofoever is born of Gcd doth not commit fin , for his feed remaineth in him , and he cannot fin •, becaufe he is hern cj God. They object (3) That there are cer¬ tainly inflances of the truly regenerate, who have fal¬ len from grace, in the drunkennefs of Noah, the adultery and murther of David, Peter’s denying his Lord, &c. To which I anfwer. They omitted, or ra-, ther neglefted fome fecond afts or exerciles of the fpi- r’uual life ; but they never wholly loft the firft aft or ? Pfal.51. 13. principle, which was beftowed in regeneration. f They objeft, (4) It the regenerate cannot iofe the grace of regeneration, they would ceafe to be free agents. To which I anfwer, The confequence by no means fol- ^ ows '» fince the conftantjprefeijc^^f the fpiritual life / ^ in the will rather confirmsffih. liberty of it. 0 8 Whether XXX. Queft. Eighth. Whether regeneration be %ni- regeneration verjal. or whether all men are regenerated ? All the be uraverlal. Papifts, as well the Dominicans, as the Jefuits, (as they fuppofe jufficientgrace given to every man, where¬ by he can be faved) do, in effeft, hold regeneration to be univerfal, (fince according to the feriptures, in re¬ generation properly fo called, there is conferred only a power to perform fpiritual good, as we have fhewn under the doflrinal part.) However, in the explanati-' on of this fufftcient grace, they greatly differ. The Dominicans indeed fuppofe that fujficient grace is gi¬ ven to all ; but yet fuch as cannot put forth itie]f into afiual exercife, without efficacious grace preceeding : But the Jefuits hold to fufficient grace, whofe efficacy depends upon the free will of every man. The rank Pelagians and Socinians, as they make regeneration to confift in a reformation of manners^ fuppofe finners have by nature , that power, whereby they can regenerate themfeives, or reform their moral conduit : But they do Differ r>t fentiments; On Regeneration. 45 do not fuppofe that an aHual reformation of manners takes place in every one -, but only in thofe, who will to reform their moral conduct. They exprefly ex¬ clude regeneration from infants , both on account of their having no inherent fin, and alfo on account of their incapacity, from the want of reafon, to reform their moral conduct. Among the Reformed who hold to univerfal grace, there are fome who fuppofe, that by the grace of God power is rejlored to all , and every man, whereby they can be faved, if they will •, altho* there is given to the ek£l alone chat power, by which they are adtually made willing. The renowned Coc- ceius, altho’ he doth not deny that regeneration took place under the old teftament ; yet in theemphatical fenfe of it, he confines it to new teffament times. The The general general opinion of the Reformed is, that the grace of ^"reformed regeneration is in the higheft i’enfe peculiar to all the defl ; and they fuppofe alfo that even infants are fome- times the fubjedts of it, which they fupport by the fol¬ lowing reafons, (1) The feriptures, as often as they make mention of regeneration, extend it, not to all promifeuoufly ; but to the ele£l only/ and that, (2) To the exdufion of all others/ (3) The feriptures ex- prefly declare, there are fome who have not this power which is conferred in regeneration/ Yea, (4) The feriptures do extend regeneration particularly to in¬ fants / Nor can any place of feripture be produced by our adverfaries to the contrary, which teftifieth, either that regeneration, the fpiritual life, a power of performing fpiritual good, or lufficient grace is grant¬ ed to all and every one. XXXI. Queft. Ninth. Whether regeneration be nectffarily connected with bapeifm ? The Socinians right- ther ’regeiie- ly deny it ; but upon a wrong hypothefis, that the ration be ne* baptifm of water is but an indifferent rite, introduced ce n a ”. ly c< ?"/ by the apoftles, without the command of Chrift, hav- bapdfe " U ing no ufe or efficacy. The Anabaptifts likewife with their reafons. •i 1 Pat. r. 3, Eph.2.3.4,5. James i. IS. John 3.3—8. John 6. 41, 44- 64. 65. Rom. 8. 7. Jer. 13. 23. Jer. 1. 5. Luke 1. 1 2Tim. 3. 15. Q^ 9 Whe¬ lm. 46 On Regeneration . deny it, who allow no ufe or efficacy of baptifm, but that of fignifying the church covenant, and diftinguifti- ing thofe who are in that covenant , from thofe who are without. On the other hand, the Papifts, in order to maintain that the facraments of the new teftament beget grace ex cpere operato , or of their own proper virtue ; hold that the baptifm of water effedts rege¬ neration, hence they frequently ufe baptifm and rege¬ neration to fignify the lame thing. The Lutherans do not indeed atribute any regenerating efficacy to the baptifmal water •, however they fo confine the rege¬ nerating influences of the fpirit to baptifm, that they fuppofe no one can ordinarily be regenerated without it. The Reformed, tho’ they unanjmoufly hold that there is no phyfical regenerating efficacy in baptifm ; but only a moral efficacy, which confifts in its being a fign and fcal of regeneration and alfo that the grace of regeneration is not confined to any facrament; and yet that baptifm is not a mere naked, ufelefs fign, but a moft efficacious fealing of the covenant of grace and of regeneration, to thofe who receive it agreeably to it’s inftitution, and alio to the eleft infants of believers : yet as to the manner and time of it’s becoming effec¬ tual they fomewhat differ. Indeed as to the baptifm of adults , chat, if rightly adminiftered, doth, by the confent of all the orthodox, certainly prefuppofe rege¬ neration as already effected •, becaufe it exprefly re¬ quires faith ef the fubjedt of baptifm, and fuch faith ■AiliS.36 37 indeed as proceeds from the whole heart f which can- 1 not take place without a previous regeneration : for whatfoever is born of the fldh, is fiefh ; and whatfo- k John 3, 6. ever is born of the fpirit is fpirit. 1 * But as to the bap¬ tifm of infants , here the orthodox are divided ; fome deny that regeneration can precede baptifm, which therefore, as they fuppofe, only feals regeneration as future , when the dedi infant fhail arrive to years of diferetion, fo as to be capable of faith and repentance ; , thus 47 On Regeneration. thus the celebrated Amyraldus. But he inaccurately confounds regeneration , which bellows the fpiritua! file in the firji a6t or principle, (by which the infant is ef¬ fectually enabled, when he arrives to the exrrcife of realon, to believe and repent,) with converfion ; which includes the tiiual exercifes of faith arid repentance.; which cannot take place before the years of diferetion. Others, frorp modefty declining to determine the point, think it depends on the fevereign will of God, whe¬ ther to beftow regeneration before baptifm, at the time of its adminiftration, or afterwards ; thus Zanchv in hisCommen. upon Eph. v. in a digreffion concerning baptifm ; and Ames in his Bellarminus enervatus Tom. III. XIV. Queft. III. Spanheim the father in his Dub. Evang. Fart III. Dub. XXVII. Others chufe to think that regeneration is effected at the very time of baptifm, ordinarily at leaft : Thus Lewis Le Blanc, with the Papifts and Lutherans, who fuppofe this always to be the cafe, thus the celebrated Peter Jurieu, Beza, and others. The common opinion of the Reformed is, that the baptifm of infants (at leaft of the debt ) prefuppofes regeneration as already effec¬ ted •, becaufe that which is not, cannot be fealed by baptifm. And this opinion appears to me molt agree¬ able to truth. Befure baptifm itfelf doth not effeh re¬ generation, as the Papifts fuppofe ; Nor are the rege¬ nerating influences ot the Holy Spirit confined to exter¬ nal baptifm, as the Lutherans would have it. Be¬ caufe, fi) The efficacy ot baptifm confifts in \thfealing , agreeably to the nature of all facraments fofar as they are ficals -, c which prefuppofes regeneration, as the prin- ple of faith Becaufe, (2) The pollution of the foul is not purged away by the baptifm of water/ therefore regeneration is not confined thereto. And, fj) If this was the cafe, all the baptized would be regenerate, and that, at the very time of their baptifm. : Againft which the feriptures fpeak/ and alfo experience fhews, that The general opinion of the efoimed, with their resfons, * Rom. 4. n. 15 1 Pet. 3. 21. • AS? 8. i 3 . 20, 21. 23, « 9 8 - 9 - fir(l generation, he is pleafed to add a fecond And left, by the frfl life, we contradl eternal death, he is pleafed to add the fecond : And that our fouls may not be dead in living bodies, he is pleafed to reftore to them the fpiritual life loft by fin. It requires, (3) Infinite, of’ the meft abfolute fovereignty ; 1 hereby, palfing by 'Rem .9. whom he will, he beftows the fpiritual life on whom J 6- l8 - * he pleafes : paffing by for the moft part, the more no¬ ble, and as it were the more worthy , he beftows it on the more mean and contemptible, 1 " and of materials in » 1 Cor. 1 -2$. themfelves fo unfiuitable, he is pleafed to rear an edi- —29. fice fo magnificent. As appears in the cafe of ZacheuS® n L 1 9 ■ f* — f Paul °— of the harlots in preference to the repu o' t T ,table Pharifees. p Regeneration inculcates the grfeat- 13'. 14, nefs of the work of reftoring a finner to life, 'for thele p 21.31-. ends, (ij That we might more particularly acknow¬ ledge l 52 On "Regeneration . ledge, what great obligations, we are under to God, that he hath regenerated and brought us into a date of life, while fo many thogfands are paffed by, and that we might (hew ourfe'lves more ready to make grateful rc- i iTim.i.tj, turns. 5 (2) That, on account of the infinite power, goodnefsand benevolence, which God hath exhibited in our regeneration, we might be the more careful to * j j, live to his glory.' (3) That with regard to our future happlnefs, we might more humbly depend upon his grace , and work out our falvation with fear and trem¬ bling ; becaufe it is God alone, who worketh in us both B Phil. 2. 13, to wilt and to do.‘ (4) Thac we might not, from our date’s being better than that of others, exalt ourfelves tLuke 18 n. above them ;* that we might not boajlf fince it is God * Eph. 2. 5. alone , who, by regeneration, makes us to differ from the worft of mankind •, and whatever good we have w 1 C ° r *4 7 * above them, we derive it wholly from him.’"' (5) That we might not wonder if the mod; powerful ar¬ guments to converfion, ufed by men, have not always anl werable fuccefs ; fince it is not cj Pau! y that plant- eth , nor rfpollos, that watereth, but of God, that givetb tbs *iCor.j. 6 y. itcreafe ; x tor the Spirit, in his regenerating influences, 8 Tohn 3. 8. blowetb where he lijieth-f a»d the natural man is natu- b Eph, 2. 1.5. rail y dead in fin -, b and the Father draweth not all pro- , t . < mifcuoudy. c ( 6 ) Thac we might not readily deipair 64. 6;. or the converlion of any one, however great his oppoi d zTim 2.-25. fition thereto may be ; d for the Spirit is able to rege- *6- nerate and quicken him, when it feemeth good in his fight. 2. It recom XXXIV. Secondly. This fubjed recommends to us rncidS] ^f^ u * the happy condition of thofe, who, with fo much dif- n^fs b 0 ; the" ficulty, have been brought, by regeneration, to a fpi- regenerate. mua! life : Blejfedbe God—who hath begotten us to a lively * ' Pet. 1. 3. hope *—For, (1) they are born not efJLJh , nor of the will e L ^e l7> Tnai} '‘ f ( 2 ) They are made alive from the (3) They are by way of eminence the work- 100 . 3. com- manfhip of God f in a peculiar manner produced by j pared with him» Qtut. 32. 6. On, Regeneration. 53 him.* (4) They are new creatures , k in many refptds 1 j 4 ' more excellent than any other creature. For whilft t pf s °[ 04 every other creature flows from the common goodnefs anc l , 4J . q. of the Creator j 1 this new creature^flows from his fin- “ Eph.z. 4 5. gular grace &nd promife. 1 " Whilft every other creature performs the work of common providence -, n this new R 17.zs- creature performs the work of gracious predeftination . 0 1 ^ cm g . Whilft every other rejoices, only in the natural bene- j 0 .jam. i-iS. fits of God this new creature is loaded with Ipritual buffings. p (cf) Inftead of an infenfible, Jlonty heart, p PC47.S. & they have a heart of Jleth, eafily affeded, which carries ^ 7 ' _ r 5 * the law of God written upon it.’ ( 6 ) From perlons eh , ^ dead, they are become fpiritualiy alive . 1 (7) They s Ezek. 36. carry about them the Divine Image, which is reftored to them, which is their peculiar prerogative, h. e. en- ? - 2 - 45 - righteoujnefs .* And what is more, ( 8 ) They are * Eph. 4. 73. made partakers of a nature .* Yea, by regene- t 2+ " p^ 1 ' 3 ’ 10 ’ ration, fince they are born of God ,' 1 they become the „j oh ® 1 !’ i\' children of God ; not only by adoption, or declaration , & 1 job. 5.14. as Jacob the patriarch adopted Ephraim and Manaf- feth C but alio by a fpiritual generation. How are the w Gen. 48. 5. regenerate enabled hereby ! x How glorious is their in- x 1 J ohn 3 1 * beritance ! x How great is the liberty of the fons of ap v0m g , God ! b How free their accefs to God in every difficul- b Rom 821. ty ! c How great their fecurity under the paternal and cRom - 8. 15. domeftic care of their heavenly Father (9) They ^ ^ are by this Ipiritual generation endowed with eyts , by * * ^ which they can fee the kingdom of God, c and fpiritualiy «John 3. j. difeern the fpiritual objeds of it f and moreover with f 1 ^.2.14, a heart , by which they are both able and willing to ! 5 ‘ enter into the kingdom of God. e If now you caft up s John 3. 5. the fum of all thele blefiings, good God ! how great doth the blefjednefs of the truly regenerate appear to be ? • How careful then fhould we be to reprefent it aright ? That fuch may congratulate themfelves upon this un- fpeakable gift of God : k That they rnay be filled with b Pf. 116. 16. gratitude to God :* That they may J&tw to others the 1 1 Pe - *• 3 * greatnefs On Regeneration. greatnefs oF this blefling, to excite their eager defires 54 k Luke 8.3^ ^Pet V 2^ ail< ^ ' on ^> n g s after h. k 3 Ic rep're- XXXV. Thirdly. This fubjedl reprefents, upon the fents the mi- other hand, the unfpeakable mifery of thofe, who are fery of the deftitute of the grace of regeneration. Becaufe, (i) in^fix^'wh- The y cannot even f ee the kingdom of God, much lefs culars. enter therein •, hence they are utterly excluded from 1 John 3.3.5. the very threfhold of eternal falvation. 1 (2) So long "John 1. 13. as t hey are not born of God™ they are born of their "Jeh.S-42.44 father the devil, and fo are the children of the devil," * 2T1111.2.26. entangled in his fnares* (3) They are fpiritually dead Ez*»k' 2 *i 2 ’ n h ns > p they fee not the things of the lpirit q —have 1 luz]\\. hearts of Jlone —are objlinate in wickednefs/ and'are r A£ls 7. 5 1. immoveable to that which is good.* They are aifo £ £zek_36.25. ftupid, infenfible,' impenetrable by any moral operations *Eph.4^8^19 t ^ e Spirit. 11 Yea, they are Jkiving againft the Jer. 6 * Afis'7. 51. z Rom. 8. 7. compared with 2 Cor. 3 - 3 - 3 Pf. 1 52. fc Rom. 1. fpirit : x They are not fubjeft to the law of God, neither indeed can they be. 15 So that you might looner fqueeze water from a Jtone, than excite repentance in them. They are like ftones, cold, deftitute of all warmth, of all fpiritual love towards God, his grace, or the falvation of their own fouls : a They are with¬ out natural affeflion (atlorgoi j) b and from all thefe things, furely without the covenant of grace ; for God is not a God of the dead . 0 (4) So long as they remain unregenerate, it were better for them not to have been born, which our Saviour exprefly declares concerning Judas f and the unregenerate, in hell hereafter, will curfe the day of their birth. (5) So long as they are with Job 3. 3 not p ne vjorkmanfcip 0 f God by the grace of regenera- 14. 15^' 20 ti° n > e it were better for them never to have been ere- 2. 10. ated by God, before not to have been made men ; but rather the loweft and moft defpicable reptiles : becaufe from the immortality of their fouls, immortal, yea, eternal mifery awaits them f whilft thefe reptiles will be forever infenfible. (6) So long as they are not, by regeneration, brought back to God, they are alienated c Mat.zz. 3.2. * Marki4 2i. compared Eph. f Mat. 23.41 Ifa,66. 24. On , 'Regeneration . 55 from the-life cf Godf are ojf from God, h with an ? Epb.4.i7.i2 iinmetife as it were, fixed,bet ween them. 1 They ^3-17 are caft out with Cain from the prefence of God -, k aret G en 4 \ 4 without God in the world are afar off fr«m the know- 1 Eph. 2. if. ledge of God, and of divine things,” feeking after God, m Eph- 4. 18. as ic were-by feeling after him in the dark f afar off,, 1 z - H* alfo from the love and faving grace of God ;° and aifo ° if a . 5 J' 2 /' -from Chrifl , from the commonwealth of Ifraei, from the •covenants of promife and from ail hopebf faivation. p p Eph, 2 . 12. To paint in the moft lively manner this'great mifery of the unregenerate is of great fervice', (1 ) To our- fhis w bat end /elves, that we may hence conceive a greater horror oftation To that (late, and groan out with David, Create in me a be made. clean heart , O GW, and renew a right fpirit within mef q Ef. 51, 12. that we might zvork out our own fahation with fear and ■ ' trembling : for it is God which worketb in us, both to will and to do f And tharwe might 'rejoice with trembling , 5 r p . 2 j„; in that we have received the grace of regeneration. (2) s Pf. 2. uf it may'be of fervice to others , wh© are yet in an tin- regenerate ftate, that, by divine affiftance, they might ' awake (or recover themfelves) from the friares of the devil,* by which , they are led captive at his wilt . 1 ‘ 2Tim. 2 .26. XXXVI. Fourthly. This fubjetft admoniflies us fll(J 4 u y hat wc that we fno\AdCavoid more than we would the mod; r ^ u iTTny venomous animal,, the refting, in the bufinefs of our thing which fouls falvation, in any thing, however fpecious, fhort is n °t abfo- of regeneration. And that for khe following reafans. _ (S) It appears from the moft folcmn repeated afferti- regeneration, ons of our' Saviour, that it is impoffible, without re¬ generation.; either to fee ;or f»//r'into, the’kingdom of God.“ (2) Whatever is born of the flejh , h. e. proceeds a j oi3n from a carnal unregenerate man, is only cdmal.™ fj) w John 3?’!’. Thoufands, by taking things natural for things jpiri- tual , nature for grace, a good natural difpofition for regeneration, have miferably deceived themfelves, and under this deception have perilhed eternally and *Luk.i8.n. our I2 * * In our tranfladon “who are taken captive by him at his will.” 56 3 Mat.2i> ;i. In what things we flioujd by no means red. b Luks i S.i I. 1 2 . y2Sam.i(5 23 d Exod.31.2. e Rom 2 15. 2 ver. i 4.. S-VIan. 1: . 21. h v. 23- 1 Mat 12 24. k Rom.2. 1 8. 22. 1 Cor. 13 2. I R >m. 2. 17 Mac.8.2 1.22 m i Cor; 1.19. 2©.“Luke 1 8.. II If. 1. 15 0 I Cor. 10. 2.3.4 A.Ms 8. •53 Gal. 5. 6. I _or. 11 . 27 PLuke 18.12. 1 Cor. 13 ^Luke 18.12. * I Cor. 15.3. ■Mat 7.21.22 1 Cor. 13. 1 x Phil. ;. 6. 1 Mat. 5. 20. k Luke 18.1 1. JZ. Off Regenerate. ourSaviour declares that Publican! tnd Harlots fiaould enter into the kingdom of God before the PharifeeS.* Particularly we ftioudd avoid, in the bufinefs of our falvation, reding, (ij In a more virtuous , natural dif- pofuion : By which thro’ a certain native goodnefs of temper, as tho’ they were formed of pure^clay, fome among the Heathen have been more inclined than others, to mddaefs, humanity, civility, clemency, e- quity, and the like ; upon which account the more moral Pbarifee gives thanks to God, that he was not like - other men, particularly the Publican, who was ftanding near him. b Nor, (2) fhould we reft in any natural gifts which may be acquired ; wherein one excelleth another among the Gentiles, and likewife among pretended Chriftians. v. g. In learning, wis¬ dom, prudence, flail in mechanicks or philofophy, v.g. fuch as Ahithophel/ Bezaleel and Aholiab d were pof- feffed of. Nor, (3) in moral virtue 2, from which the Gentiles are faid co have the lav) of God written upon their hearts f yea they are faid to do, by nature , the things contained in the law f in which virtues, (v. g.-) Plato, Cato, Scipio, Cicero, Ariftides, Seneca, and the Anto- nini, a thoufand degrees exceeded Cataline, Caligula, Nero, Beliogabulus, and others. Yea the Gentiles have herein fome times out-done God’s profcjfing peo¬ ple. v. g. Tyre and Sidon excelled the inhabitants of Bethfaida and Chorazin : s The Sodomites, the inha¬ bitants of Capernaum -, h and the queen of the South, the Jews. 1 Nor, (4) may we reft in any ecclrfiatlical or external duties of religion •, fuch as the acknowledge¬ ment of the truth, k the profeffion of i tfdifputing for it," a frequent attendance upon holy exerciles, 8 the ufe of the facraments,* bellowing of alms, p fafting, q fuffering martyrdom for the truth,' preaching the word,“or in a •zealous profeftion.* Nor, (5) may we reft in any kind of external right eoufnefs' a convcrfation that is morally honeft, b or a blamekHhefs ai to chei£ righteoufnefs of fifX. law. On "Regeneration . S~" fcthw.' Nor, ( 6 ) may we reft in the gifts of common * 3 - 6 .- grace -, d inch as, (i_) the common illumination of the ^^."24.3^. Holy Spirit f in confequence of which, we may ac¬ knowledge rhe having truth, receive it with joy, pro- fefs it courageoufly, and preach it with zeal : ^2) The powerful retraining influences of the fpirit/ (3) Some g l ^ 0 ' t zo ' J ‘ kind of delegation and avoidance of enormous crimes . 1 ° J ("4/ A kind of repentance for grofs fins, wherein we acknowledge them, are ferry for them, confefs them, and in a degree reform our lives, as Judas did : h (5) 6 Math. 27.5. An external obfervance of the law and precepts H|jj nc ., 2f 2 ~ God. 1 In all thefe things therefore, and many others, , 101 §j a man muff never ret, in the great bufinefs of his 19.20. falvation, if he means not to be deceived ; for all thefe things may be found in perfons deftituteof the fpirit, or his regenerating influences, arifing merely from fiefoly principles, therefore they may be only of a carnal na- k John 3. 6. ture *. k Altho’ in the truly regenerate thefe things may take their origin from the fpirit or the fpiritual life infufed. Wherefore it is abfolutely neceflary, that in all thefe things, we accurately diftinguifli th t nature of them from the grace of regeneration, and mark their defebfs, from which we may clearly know, that they flow not from the fpirit , or the fpiritual life of regeneration but from the fleflj, that is from unre¬ generate nature. Thofe moral duties therefore differ ^[ ow d R i Gr " from fpiritual ones. 1. As to their origin; for whilft differ fpiritual things originate from the fpirit , 1 and are the fpirituil. fruit of the fpirit, “ and proceed from the law of God, ‘John 3. 5. written by the fpirit upon the heart ; n thofe moral ^ duties are effected merely by induflry, ftudy and prac- Ezek. 36.' zb tice, and are excited by the powers of free will, and 27. are therefore only the works of nature , not of the fpirit . 2. They differ as to the rule : whilft fpiritual duties conform themfelves to the rule of the new creature, 0 0 Gal. 6. i 5 . and they, that are fpiritual walk after the fpirit , p and according to the will of God j 1 the morality of the 1 H unregenerate 5» r Cn Re verieraticn. unregenera-e Is regulated by a kind of mediocrity , which reafon and the fentiments of wife men have fixed. Therefore this morality is not obedience per¬ formed unto God, but to reafon and wile men. 3. They differ as to the end : whilft the regenerate, in the performance of fpiritual duties, aim at the glory of or.1e.31. God, r and after union and communion with him, in j. 2.: Phil * Pf. ! 6 , 5. & 73 - 2 S V r Rnm. 1. 1 ", Gal, 2. u Rom. 14. 2 : which their greateft happinefs confifteth : 5 Th e unre¬ generate in their moral duties feek chiefly their own glory and intereft, as was evidently the cafe with the Pha- Mat. 6.2.5. rrfees : 0 or if fomething higher excites them to the purfuit of virtue, at mo ft ’tis only the beauty of virtue, as being agreeable to reafon. 4. They differ as to the immediate caufe : whilft fpiritual duties flow from • faith, * which accounts as fin whatfoever is not of itfelf* ' however fpecious it may appear : u Thcfe fiwra/duties know nothing of faith, they grow from the feeds of nature, and are watered by cxercife, without any ear¬ ned feeking of divine affi dance. 5. They differ as to the foundation : whilft all fpiritual duties have their exiftence, and are.performed in Cbrid, without whom » Tohn 15. 5. we can do nothing,"' and by whom we can do all things f 1 Phil. 4. 13. n0 r are they acceptable to God, except in Chrift the * E P h - »■ * b e i ove d G' as, by his righteoufnefs he covers, and makes amends for, all the defeats of thefe duties, and fo prefents them to his father • The morality of the unregenerate hath nothing _ of Chrift in it, and is there¬ fore but the tares of nature, their own righteoufnefs, and like a menfirums garment, abominable in the fight of God. a 6. They differ*as to the affefiion of humili- *Tf S4 6. C y . vvhiIft_y^>/W/«< 3 /exercifes are joined with a conftant »"d Uk |V " 13 ^ en ^ e anc ^ acknowledgement of their native unfitnefs 2* Cor. 3. q • and corruption, and confequently with profound hu- c Mir.6.2.5.8. mility : 11 This morality puffeth up and favours rankly Luke j8. j i. 0 f pride and arrogance.* 1 2.If. 59. 2.3. L ~ Mat ' 7 ' 25 * XXXVI L On Regeneration. 59 us, an impartial examination of ourfelves, that we may , , r , - . . ■, meads exa- know, whether we are truly regenerate or not. Altho n ,; nat ion of XXXVII. FiftUy. This fubjeCt recommends to 5 - This fab- jefts reconi - Altho’ the firjl a£t or-principle of fpiritual life, which is con- ourfelves, ierred in regeneration, be not evident cf i if elf , any whether we more than the fir!l aft or principle of .natural life, or g^^/cr^ any habit or virtue : Ic is however very confpicuous f, 0l ? in its operations , Which it puts forth in converfion : and altho’ a perfon, before one of good moral confer fa- lion, cannot eafily be certain that he is not regenerate, becaufc the life of regeneration may lometimes, like feed in the earth, lie hid for a time : however he that is truly regenerated and converted can, from the fruits of the fpirit,be absolutely certain of his regeneration a Gal. 22 . and converfion : e Befure he, that brings not forth Mat. 7 16.— fruits, meet for repentance, may jufliy doubt of his ^ regeneration, lo as to be fenfible that need of it. know that I am regenerated ? I anfwer by thefe which deuces a may follow, 1. Whoever experiences within himielf a ge- b , e ce , rta k n neral renovation, by which, from a carnal, worldly man, regenerate, he becomes fpiritual and heavenly, he without doubt f Tit. 3. 3. is regenerate : for regeneration is the renovation of the s 2 Cor,s.iS. Holy Spirit/and a regenerate perfon is a new creature / “bzeIt 36,26. who hath received a new heart, a new fpirit/ and is k Gal. 2] 20. transformed into th z image of God , 1 fo that it is no longer 1 Eph. 1. is.. he that liveth , but Chrift in himf 2. Whoever, inffead & 5 - he 'ftands "in * 4 ‘ By what evidences then final! I certainly By whacevi. H- 1 Ct' ^ e,t ( 4 ) Whoever flop in the external profeffions of 4^5.6. s Toh. 8. P'ety, and labour not for the internal exerciies of it.* 45. zTim. 2.(5) As many, as were never deeply concerned about 23. 26. ‘Mat s tndr falvation, or the fpiritual fta.e of their fouls. 17 20 Lu.iS 11 ^ r t aPh. 3 4 5.(5 XXXVIII. Sixthly . This fubjeCt inculcates upon Rom. 2. 17 us, to drive earneflly for the regeneration of others : 6 . 1 his^ fub w hich i s efpecially incumbent on the minifters of God’s ject inculcates i ■t' r \ • j .l- ,.r nr , ,,vvord. for imee the unregenerate can do nothing upon us 10 o ^ Riive earneft- towards regenerating themjelves,* tis neceflary, every ly Cor the .e-one ihould drive therefor ; they efpecially whofe bu- ■ ;t ', n ^ raaon cf finefs God hath made it ex cfjicio ('from their office .) MJtives And ^ or c beir encouragement herein, it may be well thereto ferioutly to confider, ( i) That they are called hereto Tim. 3. 5. by G'd. x (2) That, herein they aCt as fellow labourers , " ~- 2 ;- 2 ** with God. a {%) That, on this-account, they are called 0 ^ ~ g.. . 1 1 .hoif koiveip t r-\i i-i rtv'i 1 n h t 1 g r& r\ ^ How So that Audin = 26 37 ’ not im P r0 P er! Y declared, that the converfion of a f«ul 18.2C01.5 7 8 exceeded any miracle. (6) How glorious it will be for \o. Yrim. 2. them hereafter, in the lad day, to have begotten many -6- 27. to a fpiritual life.* (7) On the otKer hand, how dift- 23.It. c8. 2. i-zck.3’ -,! fathers, becaufe they beget fpiritual children. 1 32.1 Cor. 13.3 How important a thing the human foul is. c (5J yjer. 31. 19. glorious it is to win fouls to Chrid. 4 "5 i v^or. ., r 9 - graceful, how horrible it will be, to be found guilty of h ,'c n ' r ,‘ r the neglect of fouls / But in what manner ffiall they 1 Cor. 4.. 15 the neglect of fouls/ • iv'at. 16. 26. labour Luke 9 23. ri Pro v. ii. 30. 3 VIat. 4 19. e Heb. 2. 10. 13. 1 TneC 2. 19. 2 Cor. 1. 14. Dan. 12. 3. y Ezek. 3. 18. 20. jer. 48. 10. 1 Cor. 9. 16. 17. On "Regeneration. o 61 ■gy The way m we ihive tege- cf John 3.4 5. * 5 * 7 . 0 " 29. 23. labour for the regeneration of others ? Anf. 1. , ^ teaching and inftrudting them concerning the nature of regeneration as Chrift did Nicodemus/ 2. By in- f or t he culcating the abfolute necejfity of regeneration, without r.eratio which they can neither fee, nor enter into the kingdom ® t ^ er ®* of God. s 3, By laying open the unfpeakable mjfery s 5. of thofe who die without regeneration, 11 as in § xxxv. h£,. m 2+ . 4. By powerfully reprefenting the happy condition of 2 Tun. 2.26. thofe who are truly regenerate, as in § xxxiv. 5. By Luke ‘ 3 - 3 ’ pointing out the means , (, adminicnla) whereby we may become partakers of regenerating grace •, fuch as, v. g, (r) To avoid with Nicodemus 1 intimacy with the un- i j 0 fo n 3 2. regenerate/ and leek, as he did, the company and in- ^£62.38.40 ftru&ion of thofe, who can point out to us the life of regeneration. 1 (2) To conceive the Jced of regenerati¬ on 1 the word of God. (3) To urge the promife of the p 1 Cor.4 covenant of grace.” 1 (4J To groan out with David, j/ 0 ^" Create within me a clean heart , 0 God , and renew a right 1 x p e t. 1 fpirit within me, &c. n 6 . By removing prejudices , pre- 1 Cor. 4. 1 5 tences and impediments, by which the unregenerate ra E ze k-3.6 z 5 " 1 r 1 , . ; . 0 r , 26 27. ar.d are wont to block up their way to regeneration ; iuch M f j er as v. g. ( 1) That they fhall thereby be obliged to 3? . 39 . condemn themfelves, and openly expofe all their paft "Pf-si. 12. life with the greateft difgrace to themfelves. To which this anfwer may be given, [1] Whatever fmall dif¬ grace it mav be, we muft chearfully fubmit to it, if we would avoid eternal difgrace.® [2] The very beft of men never were afnamed to confefs their fins and condemn their wicked lives : p and by the confent of all chriftians, this is abfolutely neceftary to falvation/ q iCor*ii. 3 i [3] ’Tis even an honor to a man, ingenuoufly to re- Prov. 2 S. 13, tradt whatever he hath done amifs/ and recount his ' 2 jCor. 3 - 2 paft crimes to the glory of divine grace.’ Obj. 2. That in this way, they muft begin every thing anew, and pull down all that they have been building up before. Anf. "What hath been badly,built, fhouid be pulled down, left it fall of itfelf ; as is plainly the cafe with Dan. 12. 2. p Pf. 51.— 5 Tim.i jj.. Tit. 3. 3. 4 . lCor.^.io.ii j 62 * Mat. 7. 26. “Mat. 7.13 14 w Mat. 11 28. 29. Rom. 7. 7.2. * Mat. 11. 6 1 Pet. 4. 12. 1 Thef. 3. 3. “Mat.5.10. x x i Pet. a. r 4. * 1 Coi. 3. 5. 6 7. ' c Eph. 1. 16. 17. 18. Rom. 15.-13. d Ezek 3. 17. —2l. z If. 59. 2t. Rom. 15 18. 19-1 Cor.3 5 6. 7. 0/7 "Regeneration. . . ft with buildings, whofe foundations' are rotten and poor.' Obj. 3. That by bringing into doubt all their former conduct, they fhalhbe brought into a (fate of defpair. Anf. (1) It is better to defpair here, where there is trope, than hereafter to be in bopekjs defpair forever. (2) This faiutary defpair of their pad wrong ways, is really a fubdantial hope , yea, an undoubted means of bringing them back into the way of eternal falvation. Obj. 4. That they can’c come up to that fir i chiefs of life , which belongs to regeneration and the new creature. Anf. ( 1) ’Tis thro ' fir aits and difficul-' ties chat we arrive to any thing glorious. “ (2) The way is not difficult, but pleafant, to the truly regene¬ rate. Y/ Obj. 5. That hereby they fhafl become expof- ed, to the cenfures, reproach and perfecutions of the world. Anf. [1] This is the common lot of Chridi-. ans •, and happy is he, in the opinion of Chrift, who is not offended hereby. 21 {2] In thele Very affithons con- fifteth one of the chriftian beatitudes, a 7. We fhould leek the regeneration of finners, by praying for them, that God would give fuccefs to his own inft-itutions, b that he would quicken, illuminate, and renew the un- regenera'.e, and deliver, from thdr hearts of done, thofe who need regeneration, &c. c Nor need any fuf- peeft that in all this, they talk only to the deaf, or knock at the doors of the dead ; fmee, (1 ) By doing what belongs to theln, leaving the fuccefs to God, they perform their bounden duty and will deliver their own louls. A (2) AJtho’ it may fo happen that they are treating with thofe, who are (piritually dead ■, yet they are treating with tho e who are naturally alive, -who are endowed with underdanding and will, and can underdand things in their grammatical and his¬ torical fenfe. (%) Becaufe God, in the ufe of fuch means, is wont to bedow the grace of regeneration. 5 XXXIX On Regeneration. ' XXXIX. Seventhly. This fubjed may ferve to ex- ort the regenerate , diligently to apply to the duties meet for regeneration, viz. (i.) That they acknow¬ ledge the unfpeakable^rtfrr of God, beflowed on them in regeneration, by his mere good pleafiure , while lo many thoufand's arc paffed by *, and that they rejoice therein. 1 (2.] That fenfible of this unfpeakable bene¬ fit, they are abundant in ingenuous thank/giving to God. b (%.) That they wholly depend on God, as the original fountain of their fpiritual life -, s who worketh in us, both to will, and to do. d (4.) That in the ufe of appointed means, they ftrive for a continual increafe of the fpiritual life, communicated to them by rege¬ neration. 2 (5.) For this end, they fhould be importu¬ nate with God, in fervent prayer. f ( 6 .) Efpecially fhould they endeavour with all engagedrjefs to bring forth into the fecond ads (or exercifts) the firjl aft of fpiritual life which they received by regeneration as they, who live by the fpirit, fhould alio walk in the fpirit and therefore, (7.) Being drawn, they fhould run 63 7 This fub- je£t recom¬ mends to the regenerate, that they ap¬ ply diligent¬ ly to the du¬ ties meet for regeneration. What they are. * James 1,17. 18. Eph z.5. 6. compared with Luke 15. 92. b 1 Pet. 1.3.4. 5 2 Cor. 4. 4, 5 6 - d Phil. 2. 13. • 1 Pet. 2 2. f Pf 51. 12. s Gal. 9. 25. Rom. 3 . 1: f f J 1 1 ** J ^ being delivered from the heart of ftone, they Lant ' *• fiiould make to themieives a new heart , and a new fpi¬ rit j 1 being circumcifed, they fhould cireumtife themfelves to the Lord , and take away more and more the Urefkin of their heart . k h. e. Being now made alive by regenera* tion, they fhould put off, by converfion and repentance, concerning their former comer fat ion , the old man , and he renewed in the fpirit of their mind ; and that they might nut on the new man which after God is created in righteoufi- nefs and true holinefisd And that they bear in mind that they are, by regeneration, the workmanjhip of God, cre¬ ated in Chrift Jefus unto go&d works , that they might walk in them . m But thefe things belong to converfion and fanfiif cation , which are the end of regeneration, as the fecond ads (or exercifes) are the end of the firjl act or principle. APPENDIX, ! Ezek 1 3 31.' k J er - 4- T 1 Epk. 4. zzji *3'. 2 4* " Eph k 2, 1 ®, APPENDIX. F ROM the Weftminfter confeffion of faith, chap. 10. of effectual calling. “All thofe whom God hath predeftinated unto life, and thofe only, he is pleafed in his appointed ar^d accepted time, effectually to call by his word and Spirit, out of t(iat hate of fin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and falvation by Jefus Chrift ; enlightening their minds^ fpiritually and favingly to underftand the things of Ged •, taking away their heart of {tone, and giving unto them an heart of fiefh ; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which Is good ; and effectually drawing them to Jefus Chrift; yet lo as they come moft freely, being made willing by his grace. II. This effectual call is of God’s free and fpecial grace alone, not from any thing at all forefeen in man, who is altogether pajjive therein, until being quick¬ ened and renewed by theHoiy Spirit, he is thereby en¬ abled to anfwer this call, and to embrace the grace offered aad conveyed in it.” Dr. Twifs Prolocutor of the affembly of divines at Weftminfter in hisVindiciae Gratis, &c. page 15. of the preface, thus defines efficacious grace. “We explain efficacious grace to be an Operation of God afFeCting the will of man, which is not moral but phyjical ., that is immediately and really working in us to do whatfoever good we perform, determining the will to aCtion, but yet fo as that it aCts freely.” Part III. Page 124. “We do not deny that God aCts by (moral) fuafion ; but he aCts alfo by a phyfical operation, which immediately and immutably affects the APPENDIX. 65 the will and that by an irrefiftible agency : For as to moral fuafien, it is plain the agent ads only in the way of placing ofejeds before the mind, which neither ads upon the will immediately, nor at all after the manner ot an efficient caufe, but merely after the manner of a final caufe. This divine concurrence is of that kind that neither men nor angels can refill. We fay this ac¬ tion of God cannot be refilled, for this reafon, that it doth not conlilt in moral fuafion, fo as to be in its na¬ ture refillible ; but in an immediate change of the will, which cannot properly be called either refillible or irre¬ fiftible with refped to the will upon which it ads : For that, properly ipeaking, is irrefiftible, which a perlon cm not refill tho’ he wills to. But fuppofing a man Ihouid will otherwife, than God worketh in him to will, he not only could refill, but herein adually would refill : But upon this fuppofition it would follow, that God did not work in him by changing his will ; for if he changed his will, hereby ©f unwilling he would make him wil¬ ling, But if we fuppofe a man to will any thing from the operation of God, it cannot be that he ffiould not will it or will the contrary. For God himfelf cannot make a thing to be and not to be at the fame time.** Dr. Ridgley, in his expofition of the larger catechifm under the anfwer, which treats ol effedual calling, Voh s. P. 20. gives his fentiments upon the dodrine of re¬ generation in the following words. “ The firft Hep that he (i. e. God) is plealed to take in this work, (i. e. the work of effedual calling) is in his implanting a principle of fpiritual life and grace, which is abfolutely neceffary for our attaining to, or re¬ ceiving advantage by the external call of the gofpel i this is generally ftiled regeneration, or the new birch ; or, as in the feripture but now referred to, (viz. Ezek. 36. 26.) a new heart. If it be enquired, What we are to underftand by this principle ? We anfwer. That fMce principles arc only known by thofe effeds they produce, I fprir.gs 66 APPENDIX. fprings of ailing, by the actions themfelves, we muft be content with this defcription ; that it is fomething wrought in the heart of man, whereby he is habitually and prevailingly biafled and inclined to what is good : So that by virtue hereof, he freely, readily, and willingly cheofes thofe things which tend to the glory of God j and refufes, abhors and flees from what is contrary there¬ unto ; and, as this more immediately afleds t^ie under- ftanding, whereby it is enabled to difcern the things which God reveals in the gofpel in a fpiritual way, it is Filed, his flAning in the heart , to give us the light of the knowledge of his glory , or his giving an eye to fee , and an ear to hear. As it refpeds the will, jt contains in it a power, whereby it is difpofed, and enabled to yield the obedi¬ ence oh faith, to what ever God is plpafed to reveal to us as a rule of duty, fo that we are made willing in the day of his power v and as it refpeds the aiffedions, they are all difpofed to run h. a right channel, to defire, delight and rejoice in every thing that is pleafing to G6d, and flee from ever thing that is provoking to him. This is tint whereby a dead firmer is made alive, and fo enabled to put forth living adions. Concerning this principle of grace, let it be cblerved, that it is infufed, and not acquired. The firlt principle or fpring of good adions, may, with equal reafon, be fuppofed to be infufed into us as Chriftians, as it is un¬ doubtedly true, that the principle of reafoning is infufed into us as men r None ever fuppofed that the natural power of reafoning may be acquired, tho’ a greater fa¬ cility or degree thereof is gradually attained ; fo that power,whereby we are enabled to put forth fupei'natural ads of grace, which we call a principle of grace, mult be fuppofed to be implanted in us ; which, were it ac¬ quired, we could not, properly fpeaking, be faid to be born of God. From hence I am obliged to infer, that the regenera¬ ting ad, or implanting this principle of grace, which is, APPENDIX. 67 at leaf!;, in order of nature, antecedent to any a‘< 5 t of grace, put forth by us, is the immediate effedt of the power of God, which none, who fpeak of regeneration as a divine v/ork, pretend to deny ; and therefore I can¬ not but conclude, that it is wrought in us without the infir umentality of the word , or any of the ordinary means of grace : My reafbn for it is this; becaufe it is neceffary (from the nature of the thing) to our receiving, improv¬ ing or reaping any faving advantage by the word, that the fpirit fhould produce the principle of faith ; and to fay, that this Jd done by the word, is, in effect, to affert that the word produces the principle, and the principle gives efficacy to the word ; which feems to me little lefs than arguing in a circle. The word cannot profit unlefs it be mixed with faith •, and faith cannot be put forth, unlefs it proceeds from a principle of grace implanted ; therefore this principle of grace is not produced by it : We may as well fuppofe, that the presenting a beautiful pidture before a man that is blind, can enable him to fee*, or the violent motion of a withered hand, produce ftrength for adtion, as we can fuppofe that the prefent¬ ing the word, in an objective way, is the inftrumenc whereby God produces that internal principle, by which, we are enabled to embrace it. Neither would this fo well agree with the idea of its being a new creature, or our being created unto good works •, for then it ought ra¬ ther to be faid, we are created by faith, which is a good work : This is, in effedt, to fay that the principle cf grace is produced by the inftrumentality of that which fuppofes its being implanted, and is the refulc and con¬ fluence thereof. 1 am forry that I am obliged in this afferrion, to ap¬ pear, at leaft, to oppofe what has been maintained by many divines of greac worth ; who have in ail other refpedts, explained the doctrine of regeneration, agreea¬ bly to the mind and will of God, and the analogy of faith. It may be the principal difference between this explication. 68 APPENDIX ; explication, and their’s is, that they fpeak of regeneration in a large fenfe, as including in it, not barely the im- planting the principle, but the exciting it, and do not 1 fufficiencly diftinguifh between the principle as implant¬ ed and deduced inco ad ; for, I readily own, that the latter is, by the inftrumentality of the word, though I cannot think the former fo 5 or, it may be, they confidcr i the principle as excited ; whereas I confider it as created, | or wrought in us ; and therefore can no more conclude that the new creation is wrought by an inftrument, than ! 1 can, that the firft creation of all things was. And I am ready to conjcdure, that that which leads many divines into this way of thinking, is the fenfe in which they underftand the words of the apoftle : Being born again, net tf corruptible feed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which livetb and abideth forever : And elfe- where. Of his own will, begat he us with the word of truth, that we fhculd be a kind of firJl-fruits of his creatures. Whereas this doth not fo much refped the implanting the principle of grace, as it does our being enabled to ad from that principle •, and ’tis as tho 5 he fhould fay. he hath made us believers, or induced us to love and obey him by the word of truth, which fuppofes a prin¬ ciple of grace to have been implanted ; otherwiie the w rd of truth would never have produced thefe effeds. Regeneration may be taken, not only for our being made alive to God, or created unco good works, but for our putting forth living adions, proceeding from that prin¬ ciple which is implanted in the foul. I am far from de¬ nying, that faith, and all other graces are wrought in us. by the inftrumentality of the word ; and it is in this fenfe that fome, who treat on this fubjed, explain their fentiments, when they fpeak of being born again by the word : Therefore I perfuade myfelf, that I differ from them only in the acceptation of words, and not in the main fubftance of the dodrioe they maintain.” Dod. Ridgley quotes Charnock, with approbation, concerning APPENDIX ; 69 concerning the diftindtion between regeneration and con- verfion, in the following words. “ Regeneration is a fpiritual change ; converfion is a fpiritual motion j in regeneration there is a power conferred ; converfion is the exercife of this power in regeneration there is given us a principle to turn converfion is our adtual turning ; in the covenant, the new heart, and God’s putting the fpirit into them, is diftinguiffied from their walking in his ftatutes, from tjie firft ftep we take in the way ©f God, and is fet down as the caule of our motion : In renewing us God gives us a power ; in converting us he excites that power. Men are naturally dead, and have a ftone upon them 5 regeneration ia a rolling away the ftone from the heart, and a railing to newnefs of life ; and then converfion is as natural to a regenerate man, as motion is to a living body : A principle of activity will produce adtion. The firft reviving us is wholly the adl of God, without any cqncurrence of the creature ; but, after we are revived, we do adlively and volunta¬ rily, live in his fight. Regeneration is the motion of God in the creature 5 converfion is the motion of thp Creature to God, by virtue of that firft: principle ; from this principle all the adts of believing, repenting, mor¬ tifying, quickening do fpring. In all thefe a'man is ac¬ tive ; -in the other he is merely paffive.” 35 Thus far Mr. Charnock: Dodh Ridgley further oblerves, (vol. 2. p. 23) rela^ tive toour paffivity in regeneration. “ I cannot but take notice of a queftion which frequently occurs under this head, viz. Whether man in the firft moment there¬ of, viz. in regeneration, be merely paffive, tho’ adlive in every thing that follows after it ? This we cannot but affirm, not only againft the Pelagians , but others, whole method of treating the dodlrine of divine grace, feerm to agree with theirs. This is fufficiently evidenr, not only from the impotency of corrupt nature, as to what is good, but it’s utter averfenefs thereto, and iiem ' ' thq ^ See Charnock on regeneration, Vol. a. page 70, 7t» APPENDIX. the work’s being truly and properly divine; or (as has been before obferved) the effect of almighty power. Ibis is not a controverfy of late date \ but has been either defended or oppofed, ever fince Augufline’s and Pelagias 's time.” With refpedt to preparatory works, Dock Ridgly jeems well to agree with Van Maflricht. Upon this point he quots Mr. Charnock, in the following words. verily I jay unit APPENDIX. 73 tin to thee , except a man he born again , he cannot fee the king¬ dom of God. And poffibiy ihis work is done for others that live, before we are aware of it, who have given evi- dence of their ferioufnels from their infancy. However, the man can no more convert himfelf upon thefe con¬ victions, than he could before, nor is it eafier for the fpirit to do it now. Whenever it is done, it mud be s creating power, in which God ufeth no injlrument, hut afls immediately .** Page 455. There mud be a renewing change wrought in the will, in order to its being enabled to clofe with Chrid. Could we fuppofe never fo much light let into the underdanding, caufing it to difeern all the preciouf- nefs of Chrid as he is revealed in the gofpel ; yet if the will remain in the fame podure it is, in the man’s na¬ tural edate, it would be impoffible for it to chufe Chrid, and to love him. There mud therefore be a renovation on it. When therefore the apodle had fpoken of our being renewed in the image of cur mind, Eph. 4. 23. .he exemplifies it with refpedt to the will, verf. 24. And that ye put on the new man , which after God is created m righteoufnefs , and true holinefs. A new underdanding, without a new heart, will never amount to a thorough converfion. As long as the will remains poffifTed of'cor^ rupt luds, and hath no power in it, it can never embrace Chrid. This renewing change is wrought, by creating a new principle of faving grace in the will and affdlions. It is certain that if ever the man believe, he mud have power to believe. This power is that which we call the habit of faich *, which habit is not infufed by itfelf,but together with all the other regenerating graces, which are wrought in the foul by the Spirit. This is that which is called the giving of a new heart, and the putting in of a new fpirit, &c. Ezek. 36. 26. Which cannot intend new faculties, but a new faving imptedion of grace on the faculties of the foul in the man. K Mr, 74 APPENDIX. Mr. Flavel aflerts the priority of the work of regene¬ ration to faith in Chrift, in the following words. “ For look as the blood of Chrift is the fountain of all merit, fo the Spirit of Chrift is the fountain of all fpi- ritual life. And until he quicken us, fi. e.) infufe the principle of divine life into our fouls, we can put forth ! no hand, or vital ad of faith, to lay hold upon Jefus Chrift.—This his quickening work, is therefore the iirjl ; in order of nature to our union with Chrift, and funda- \ mental to all other ads of grace done and performed by us, from our firft doling with Chrift, throughout the I whole courfe of our obedience.” Method of grace, fer. 5. Mr. Flavel’s' firft head in the fame difcourfe is, “Briefly 1 to reprefent the necefTary antecedency of this quickening work of the Spirit, to our jirlt clofmg with Chrift by faith. This, (he fays) will eafily Jet itfelf into your un- ; derftanding, if you will but confider the nature of the | viral ad of faith ; which is the foul’s receiving of Chrift, and refting upon him for pardon and falvation.” After having infifted upon this antecedency of regene- \ ration to faith, he ftarts this qaeflion, and gives the fol¬ lowing folution. “ Quell. But here it may be doubted, and objeded againft this poficion. If we cannot believe till we are quickened with fpiritual life, as you fay, and cannot be juftified till we believe, as all lay, then it will follow, that a regenerate foul may be in ftate of condemnation for a time and conlequently perifh, if death fhould befall him in that jundure.” “ Sol. To this I return 5 That when we fpeak of the ' priority of this quickening work of the Spirit to our adual believing, we rather underftand it of the priority of na¬ ture, than of time , the nature and order of the work re¬ quiring it to be fo •, a vital principle muft, in order of nature be infufed, before a vital ad can be exerted. Firft make the tree good, and then the fruit good : And ad¬ mit wc fhould grant Ibme priority in time alfo to this quickening. APPENDIX. 7 } quickening principle, before acftual faith ; yet the abfur- dity mentioned would be no way confequent upon this concefiaon : For as the vital adt of faith quickly follows the regenerating principle, fo the foul is abundantly le- cured againfl the danger objected •, God never beginning any fpecial work of grace upon the foul, and then leaving it, and the foul with it, in hazard ; but preferves both to the finifhing and compleating of his gracious defign, Phil. i. 6.” Ibid. The fame author abundantly afferts, that regeneration is a fupernatural effecft, produced by the exertion of al¬ mighty power , and that we are therein wholly pajfivs. His very dodlrine in the above mentioned difcourfe is this j “ That thole fouls, which have union with Chriff, are quickened with a fupernatural principle of life by the Spirit of God in order thereunto Again, “ As it is faid of the two witnefies, Rev. xi, • ii. Who l?.y dead in a civil fenfe, three days and an half, that the fpirit of life from God entered into them ; fo it is here in a fpiritual fenfe, the fpirit of life from God enters into the dead, carnal heart : it is all by way of fupernatural infufion .”- Ibid. Again. “In the next place, according to the method propofed, I am obliged to fhew you, that this quicken¬ ing work is wholly fupernatural ■, it is the foie and proper work of the fpirit of God. So Chrift himfelf exprefsly afierts it, in Joh. 3. 6, 8. ‘That which is bom of the fiefh is flefh, and that which is born of the fpirit, is Jpirit : the wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof, but canft not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth, lo is every one that is born of the fpi¬ rit. Believers are the birth, or offspring of the fpirit, whoproduceth the new creature in them in an unintel¬ ligible manner even to themlelves. So far is it above their own ability to produce , that it is above fheir capacity to underftand the way of its production.—We can con¬ tribute nothing) I mean actively) tp the production of tins principle 76 APPENDIX ; principle of life. We may indeed be faid to concur pftjfively, with the fpirit in it ; that is, there is found in us a capacity* aptneis or receptivemfs of this principle of life. Our nature is endowed with fuch faculties and powers as are meet fubjeCts to receive, and inftruments to aCt this fpirirual life : God only quickens the ratio¬ nal nature with fpiritual life.” “ It is true alfo, rhat in the progrefs oF fan&ification, a man doth actively concur with the fpirit •, but in the production of this principle he can do nothing \ he can in¬ deed perform thofe external duties that have a remote tendency to it, but he cannot by the power of nature perform any faving adt, or contribute any thing more than a pajfive capacity to the implantation of a new prin¬ ciple : as will appear by the following arguments.” “ Arg. i. He that actively concurs to his own rege¬ neration, makes himfelf to differ \ but this is denied to all regenerate men, i Cor. iv. 7. Who maketh thee to dif¬ fer from another ? And what haft thou , that thou didji not receive *■ Arg. 2. That to which the feripture aferibes both impotency and enmity with refpeCt to grace, cannot ac - fively, and of itfelf concur to the production of it : but the feripture aferibes both impotency and enmity to na¬ ture, with refpeCt to grace. It denies to it a power to do any thing of itfelf, John xv. 5. And which is lefs, it denies to it a power to fpeak a good word, Mat.xii. 34. And which is leaft of all, it denies it power to think a good thought. 2 Cor. iii. 5. This impotency, if there were r>o more, cuts off all pretence of our active concurrence. But then, if we confider that it aferibes enmity to our natures, as well as impotency, how clear is the cafe! See Korn. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmjtv againfl God . And Col. i. 21. And you that wen enemies in your minds $>y wicked works. So then nature is fo far productive of this principle, as impotency and enmity can enable it to 1 1 APPENDIX. 77 85 Arg. 3. That which is of natural produdiion muft needs be fubjedt to natural diffolution. That which is born of the flefh, is flefh ; a perifhing thing ; for every thing is as its principle is, and there can be no more in the effect than there is in the caufc. But this princi¬ ple of fpiritual life is not fubjedt to diffoiution. It is the water which fprings up into everlafting life, John iv. 14. The feed of God which remaineth in the rege¬ nerate, 1 John iii. 9. And all becaufe it is born not of corruptible, but incorruptible feed, 1 Pet. 1. 23.” 88 Arg. 4. If our new birth be our refurredtion, a new, creation, yea a vidtory of our nature, then we cannot ftSlively contribute to its produdtion. But under all thefe, notions it is reprefented to us in the fcriptures. It is. our refurredtion from the dead, Eph. v. 14. And you know the body is wholly paffive in its refurredtion. But tho’ it concurs nor, yet it gives pre-exiftent matter. Therefore the metaphor is defignedly varied, Eph, iv, 24. Where it is called a creation in which there is nei¬ ther adlive concurrence nor pre-exiftent matter. But tho* creation excludes pre-exiftent matter, yet in producing fomething out of nothing, there is no reludtancy or op- poftcion, Therefore to (how how purely fupernatural this principle of life is, it is cloathed and reprefented tQ us in the notion of a viflory, 2 Cor. x 23. And fo leaves all to grace.” 88 Arg. 5. If nature could produce, or actively concur t<$ the produdtion of this Jupermtural life, then the beft na-r tures would be fooneft: quickened with it; and the worff natures not at all, or at laft, and leaft: of all. But con- trarily, we fiod the worft natures often regenerated, and the beft left in the ftate of fpiritual death. With how many fweet homiletical virtues was the young man a- dorned ? Mark x. 21. yet gracclefs ; and what a fink of fin was Mary Magdalen, Luke vii. 37. Yet fandtified. Thus beautiful Rachel is barren, while Leah bears chil¬ dren, And there is fcarce any thing that affedb »d 7 S APPENDIX ; melts the hearts of Chriftians more, than this compara¬ tive confideration doth, when they confider veftels of gold caft away, and leaden ones chofen ior fuch noble ufes. So that it is plain enough to all wife and hum¬ ble fouls, that this new life is wholly of fupernatural pro* duftion.” — Ibid. Again. “But though we cannot pry Into thefe fecrets by the eye of reafon, yet God hath revealed this to us in his word, ,that it is wrought by his own almighty power, Eph. i. 19. The apoltle afcribes this work to the exceedinggreatnefs of the power of God. And this mult needs be, if we confider, how the fpirit of God exprefies it in fcripture by a new creation •, (i. e.) a giving being to fomething, out of nothing, Eph. 2. 10. In this it dif¬ fers from all the efffdts of human power •, for men al¬ ways work upon fome pre-exillent matter, but here there is no fuch matter. All that is in man, the fubjedt of this work, is only a paffive capacity, or receptivity , but nothing is found in him to contribute towards this work. This fupernatural life is not, nor can be educed out of nacural princinles. This wholly tranfcends the fphere of all natural power .’*— Ibid. The teftimony of this author is alfo very exprefs, th2t regeneration is effected inHantaneoufly. His words are thefe, “ This infufion offpiritual life is done injlan- Jlaneoufly , as all creation- work is. Hence it is refembied to that p la flic power, which in a moment made the light to fhine out of darknefs ; juft lo God fhines into our hearts, 2 Cor. iv- 6.” “ It is true, a foul may be a long time under the preparatory work of the fpirit; he may be under con¬ victions and humiliations, purpofes and refolutions a long time,—attending the means and ordinances ; but when the fpirit comes to quicken the foul, it is done in a moment : even as it is in the infufion of the rational foul, the body is long e’re it is prepared and moulded, but when once prepared and ready, it is quickened with she fpirit of life in an instant.’*/ Ibid. Do ft. APPENDIX. 79 Do£t. Wits or Witfius, a noted Dutch divine of the 3 aft age, fometime colleague with Van Majlricht in the Profeflorfhip at Utrecht, afterwards Regent of the Divi¬ nity College of the Sates of Holland and Weft-Friefland, in his (Economy of the Covenants under the head of Effec¬ tual Calling, Page 471 of Dr. Crookfhank’s translation, thus obferves, 44 The external call will bring none to communion with Chrift, unleis it be accompanied with the internal y which is accompli(hed not only by perfuafion and com¬ mand, but by the powerful operation of the Spirit. There is a certain cal] of God, whereby he makes the things, he calls, to exift, by that very call. By fuch a call, he calletb thofe things which be not , as though they were. Rom. 4. 17. For, when he faid, let there be light, im¬ mediately there was light, Gen. r. 3. Not unlike this is that internal call of the fpirit,of which the apoftle writes, 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the light to Jhine out of darknefs , hath fhintd in our hearts. Here God exerts his infinite power, by which he con- rerts the foul no lefs powerfully than fweetly. He writes his law on their heart, Jer. 31. 33. Puts the reve¬ rence of himlelf there, Ezek. 11. 20. And not only calls them from darknefs to his marvellous light ; but alfo, by the call, draws them, not to (land ftil! in the path of doubtful deliberation, but to run after him , Cant. 1. 4. Not only puts them in an equal poile, but turns them. Jer. 31. 18. Not only advifes, but perfuades, and he is dronger and prevails, Jer. 20. 7. Nor does hefollicic, but tranjlate , Col. 1. 13. Not by an ordinary, but by that mighty power, by which he raifed Chrift from the dead. Eph. 1. 20.” Under the head of regeneration, p. 476. he gives this definition of it, “ Regeneration is that [up er natural aft of God , whereby a new and divine life is infufed into the elefl ptrfon, fpiritually dead , and that from the incorruptible feed of the word of God, made fruitful by the infinite power of the Spirit, 8o APPENDIX. Spirit. * He then obfcrves upon the fpiritual death of e Jfinners, “ that they are fpiritually infenfible of all fpiri- o tual things, and deflitute of all true feeling ;—nor have 1 they any relifh for divine grace, becaufe it has not yet been conferred upon them ; nor any longing after hea- c venly things, being ignorant of their worth. They arel j wholly incapable of every adt of true life.~-The under-' (landing is overfpread with dilmal darknefs. The will has no tendency to things unknown : and thus all the, things of God are defpifed by it as mean.” Page 478. “ By regeneration a new life is put into the eledl, relult- j ing from a gracious union with God and his Spirit. ! For, what the foul is to the body, that God is to the foul. Moreover, this fpiritual life may be confidered, either by way of faculty , and in the firfi afl y in the ufual language of the fchools j or by way of operation, and in th fecond aft. In the former refpedl, it is that inward conititution of the foul, whereby it is fitted to exert thofe j adlions, which are acceptable to God in Chrifl, by the 1 power of the fpirit uniting it to God : whether fuch ac- j tions immediately flow from that principle, or whether they lie concealed for fome time, as fruits in their feed. In the latter refpetfl, it is that adlivity of the living foul, i by which it adts agreeably to the command of God, and the example of Chrifl. If we confider this firfi principle of life, there is not the leafl doubt, but regeneration is accomplifhed in a I moment. For there is no delay in the tranfition from death to life. No intermediate flate between the rege¬ nerate and unregenerate can be imagined fo much as in thought, if we mean regeneration in the firfi adt : for one * Doft. Witput probably Intends the fame kind of inflrumentali;/ of the word as D oft. Van Majlrirbt, when he calls it l 'tnly a mtral in- firument of regeneration,'* and that not fo properly to regeneration in the firft aft, (which feems to confift, according to thefe authors, in fruftifyiog or snaking fruitful the word, or rather in laying a founda¬ tion for the words becoming fruitful.in which the word cannot be an inftrumentjas to regeneration in (hs iecocd a& or coafetjuent exe/cifei j (sc extracts from Do ft. Ridgley, APPENDIX 1 8f ©ne is either dead or alive : either the child of God, or of the devil ; either in the way to falvation or damnation. There neither is, nor can be any medium here. Hence it appears, there are no preparations ante¬ cedent to the firft beginning ©f regeneration 5 becaufe previous to that,nothing but meredeath in the higheft de¬ gree is to be found in the perfon to be regenerated. When we were DEAD IN SINS, he hath quickened us toge¬ ther with Chrift, Eph. 2. 5. And indeed the icripture reprefents man’s converfion byfuch limilitudes, as {how, that all preparations are entirely excluded ; iometimes calling it a new ^generation to which, certainly, none can contribute any thing of himlelf : But yet, as natural ge- . neration prefuppofesiome difpofitions in the matter ; fo, that we may not imagine any fuch thing to be in our- felves but from God, we have this held forth by the limilitudc of a refurreflion •, in which a body is reflored from matter, prepared by no qualifications : yet becaufe here, certainly is matter, but in the refurredion of the feul there is nothing at all, therefore we have added the figure of a creation, Pf. 51. 10, Eph. 2. io.By which we are taught, that a new creature exifts from a Spiritual nothing, which is fin ; but as there was not fomething in nothing, to afififl and fuflain creation; fo there was no¬ thing to oppofe and refill 5 but fin is fo far from fub- mitting to what God does, that it is reludant thereto* and in an hoftiie manner at enmity with him : accord¬ ingly the other images did not fully complete the idea of this admirable adion, till at length it is called the viElory of God : Vidorv, I fay, over the devil who main¬ tains his palace, Luke 11. 21, and effedually worketh in the children of difobedience, Eph. 2. 2. All thefe operations of God tend to exclude, as much as poflible, all preparations from the beginning of our regeneration.’* He then goes ©n to cenfure the Semi-pelagian* of Mer- feilles, “ who infifted that a man comes to the grace whereby we are regenerated in Chrift, by a natural fa- L culty 3 Zi APPENDIX . culty; as by afking, fceking, knocking, and that, in fome at lead, before they are born again, there is a kind of re¬ pentance going before, together with aforrow for fin, and a change of life for the better, and a beginning of faith, and an initial love of God, and a defire of grace. And tho’ they did not look on thefe endeavours to be of fuch importance, as that it could be faid, we were thereby rendered worthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit; as Pelagius and Julian profeffed i Yet they imagined, they were an occafion by which God was moved, to beftow his grace/’ And likewife the remonjlrants , who write, that “ fome work of man goes before his vivification *, namely to acknowledge and bewail his death , to will, and defire deli¬ verance from it ; to hunger , thlrfi andfeek after life” He obferves “ there is little accuracy in the reafonings of thefe men. For, ift. Since our nature is become like an evil tree, it can produce no fruit truly good and accept¬ able to God, and do nothing, by which it can prepare itfelf for the grace of regeneration. 2dly. It has been found, that they, who, in appearance were, in the belt manner dilpofed for regeneration, were yet at the greateft diftance from it, as the inftance of that young man, Mark 19. 21, 22, very plainly fhews, 3dly. And on the other hand, they, who had not even the leaft ap¬ pearance of any preparation, as the publicans and har¬ lots, went into the kingdom of God, before thofe who were civilly righteous and externally religious. 4thly. God teftifies, that in the firfl: approach of his grace, he is found of them, that fought him not , and afked not for him. Ifa, 65, 1. Fulgentius fays extremely well : We have not certainly received grace, becanje we are willing , but grace is given us, while we are fill unwilling .” He then obferves, p. 483, upon the preparations which have been admitted by fome of the reformed as Perkins, Ames, and the Britifh Divines at the Synod of Port, “ who have affigned in perfons to be regenerated, jft. A breaking off the natural obftinacy, and a flexibi- APPENDIX. S3 lity of the will. 2. A ferious confederation of the law. 3. A confideration of their own fins and offences againft God. 4. A legal fear of punifhmcnt, and a dread of hell, and confequcntly a defpairing of their falvation, with refpedt to any thing in themfelves.” Thefe, he acknowledges, differ from the favourers of Pelagianifm in the following manner, iff. That they are not for hav¬ ing thefe things to proceed from nature, but profefs them to be the effects of the fpirit of bondage, prepar¬ ing a way to himfclf, for their actual regeneration. 2dly« That they are not for God’s bellowing the grace of re¬ generation from a regard to, and moved by occafion of, thefe preparations, much lefs by any merit in them ; but they imagine that God, in this manner, levels a way for himfelf, fills up 'vallies, deprefifes mountains and hills, in order the better to fmooth the way for his entrance into that foul.” Upon which he obferves, “We really think they argue mor« accurately, who make thefe and the like things in the eledt, to be preparations to the further and more perfect operations of a more noble and plentiful fpirit, and fo aot preparations for regeneration, but the fruits and cffedts of the firft regeneration : For as thefe things fuppole fome life of the foul, which fpi- ritually attends to fpiritual things, and are operations of the fpirit of God ; when going about to fandtify the elect ; we cannot but refer them to the fpirit of grace and regeneration.” P. 485. If this matter be more clofely confidered, we flhall find, that the orthodox differ more in words, and in the manner of explaining, than in fenfe and reality. For, the term, regeneration, is of ambiguous fignificati- on ; fometimes it is blended with fandtification, and by regeneration is underftood that adtion of God, whereby man, who is now become the friend of God, and endow¬ ed with fpiritual life, adls in a righteous and holy man¬ ner, from infufed habits. And then it is certain, there are fome effeds of the fpirit, by which he ufualiy pre¬ pares 84 APPENDIX : pares them for the actings of complete faith and holi- nels j for, a knowledge of divine truths, a fenfe of mi- fery, forrow for fin, hope of pardon, &c. go before any one can fiducially lay hold on Chrift, and apply him- felf to the praftice of true godlinefs.*-But fometimes regeneration denotes the fir ft tranflation of a man from a ftate of death, to a ftate of fpiritual life ; in which fenfe \ye take it. And in that fenfe none of the orthodox, if he will fpeak confiftently with his own principles, can fuppofe preparatory works to the grace of regenera* tion.” P. 489. “ After a principle of fpiritual life is infufed into-the elect foul by regeneration, divine grace does not always proceed therein, in the fame method and or¬ der. It is poftible that for foine time, the fpirit of the life of Chrift may lie, as it were dormant in fome falmoft in the lame manner, as vegetative life in the feed of a plant, or fenfitiv-e life in the feed of an animal, or a poe¬ tical genius ia one born a poet) fo as that no vital ope¬ rations can yet proceed therefrom, tno J favingly united to Chrift, the fountain of true life by the fpirit. This is the cafe with refpeft to eleft and regenerate infantSL, whofe is the kingdom of God, and who therefore are reckoned among believers and faints, th®’ unqualified thro’age, affuallyto believe and praflife godlinefs.” Doff. Le Blanc, a noted divine of the Reformed Church in France in the laft century, tho’ perhaps not entirely friendly himfelf to the fentiments which Van Maflricht has advanced upon the fubjeft of regeneration and efficacious grace ; yet allows the general fentiments of the reformed church to be fuch as are conformable t® his, as the following extrafls fhew. In the Ihtfis con¬ cerning the diftinftion between fufficient and efficacious grace among proteftants : After giving the fentiments of the Lutherans and Remonftrants, and obferving that the Reformed generally renounce the diftinftion, he thus further explains their fentiments concerning divine grace. Page 13. APPENDIX. gy Page '?■ “IS is the common opinion of all the Re¬ formed who adhere to the fynod of Dort, that the grace of God, to which is to beaferibed the converfion of man and all the good works which follow thereupon, is effec¬ tual of itfelf \ nor doth its efficacy in any meafure de¬ pend upon the co-operation or confent of the will of man ; fince it is the infallible caule of that confent or co-operation. And this is agreeable to the decrees of the Synod of Dort. For that Synod condemn thofe, who teach that God , in the work of regeneration , doth not put forth his almighty power, whereby he powerfully and in¬ fallibly determinetb the will to faith and converfion : but that, Juppofing all the operations of grace , which God ufeth in con¬ verfion , man can fo redd God and the Spirit , when defigning and willing - to regenerate him , and oft times aflually doth fo refijl, as utterly to hinder his regeneration ; and that therefore it remains in the power of man, whether te be regenerated or not. They alfo condemn thofe who teach, that grace and free will are joint caufes concurring together in the beginning of converfion , and that grace in the order of nature doth not precede the efficiency of the will: that is, that God doth not effcacioufy affifl the will of man to converfion , before the will or man movetb and determinetb itfelf. And how God ef- fedleth a real converfion in the elect, the fame Synod thus cxplaineth. He not only caujeth the go (pel to be exter¬ nally preached unto them and powerfully illuminateth their minds by the Holy Ghoft , fo as rightly to underfund and difeern the things of the Spirit of God ; but by the efficacy of the fame. Spirit , in his regenerating influences , Hepenetrateth the inmff receffes of the foul *, openetb tbtir clojed hearts*-, fojteneth their hard hearts *, circumcifeth their uncircumcifed hearts infufetb new qualites into the will ; and oj dead , maketb it alive ; of evil , maketh it good ; of unwilling , maketh it willing ; cfdif- obedient , obedient ; and leadeth and frengthneth it ; fo that i 6 is enabled , like a good tree , to bring forth fruit in good a (Hons. And in the next article they add, this operation of God is entirely fupernatural, alfo mpft powerful and pleafant, wonderful* 86 APPENDIX. wonderful, fecret, and ineffable ; not lefs than, or infe¬ rior to, the power exerted in creation, or the refurredti- on of the dead •, fo that all they, in whofe hearts God worketh in this wonderful manner, are certainly, infal¬ libly, and effe&ually regenerated and converted.” Page 15. “ Altho* the divines of the Reformed Church agree in this, that grace worketh effectually, not only upon the undemanding, but alfo upon the will of man, and that the will is powerfully and infallibly turn¬ ed and determined thereby to that which is good ; yet there is fome difference among them, about the manner in which grace affeCteth the will ; fo that in confequence thereof it fhould turn to God, and eonfent to that which is good.” He then fpeaks of feveral, as f Tefard, Amyrald and Cameron , who fuppofe the will always to follow the laft dictate of the underftanding ; and that the will is chang¬ ed and renewed by a powerful illumination of the un¬ derftanding, agreeably to what is obferved by Van Mafi- ricbt concerning Cameron and others, § xxvi. “But (faith he) other divines of the Reformed Church hold, that the immediate operation of grace affeð, not only the un¬ derftanding, by illuminating of it ; and infufing new light into it-, but alfo the will, in which it really and phffically worketh that eonfent which it yields to the di¬ vine commands. This opinion DoCt. Ames lays down and explains in his Bellarminus enervatus, lib. iii° de gra¬ tia cap. 3. IVe hold , faith he, that together with moral JuaCton there is joined a real efficiency of God , by which a new principle of fpiritual life is eff equally wrought in the heart of man , and he at the fame time excited to put forth the a bis of this lije. In the fame place he fully approves and ac¬ knowledges as his, the fentiment of Didacus Alvares, which is that God by the affiftance of his grace doth phyfie ally or after the manner of a phyftcal caufe, effectu¬ ally predetermine the will of the creature, fo that he infallibly confent'eth and co-operateth with God, cal¬ ling 'APPENDIX. 87 ling and inviting him. And afterwardjs ufing the words I of Alvares,he faith, that phyfically to pre-determine the will is nothing elfe than truly, efficiently or really to f make the will infallibly to co-operate with God.” This fame author further obferves, p. 19. '“That there is a feeming contradiction in the fentimentsof the reformed ; who univerfally hold that man freely puts forth the firft act ofconverfion, and yet that he is merely paffive in the work of regeneration and converfion ; for how can the will of man freely put forth the a 61 of con¬ verfion, and yet at the fame time be merely paffive in converfion ? Can the will be merely paffive, when it is fuppofed to operate freely ?” “ The Britifh divines f he obferves) in the a6ts of the fynodofDort, folve this difficulty, by obferving that converfion is to be taken in a two fold fenfe; iff. As it denoteth the immediate work of God in regeneration : 2dly. As it denoteth the aftion of the man in turning to God, by faving faith and repentance. In the work of regeneration or converfion, taken in the firft fenfe, according to them, man is merely paffive, nor is it in the power of. the will of man to hinder God thus im¬ mediately converting and regenerating : But in conver¬ fion, taken in the other fenfe, the will being influenced by God, is aCtive, and putteth. forth thofe aCtions, in which our converfion to God confifteth. But conver¬ fion, as it denoteth the immediate work of God, they fay, is that whereby he regenerated!, and as it were cre- ateth anew, by an internal and wonderful operation the fouls of his eleft, who have been before exercifed and prepared by various workings of his grace ; infufing in¬ to them a quickening fpirit, and endowing all the facul¬ ties of the foul with new qualities.” Much to the fame purpofe (’tis obferved) was the o- pinion of the Heffan divines, at the fame fynod, which ge gives us in the following words, “ The will of man , in the reception of [uper natural qualities or faculties and power , and 88 APPENDIX ,: find alfo in the reception of new inclinations, is merely paffive t So that the action of the Holy Spirit infufing that /upernatural power into the will, & turning inclining the will effectually (I powerfully to faith & cornerfton, doth not depend upon the will of man or any co- operation or confent of it. But to the aCts of faith, love, hope, &c. and all good exercifes, a man is not merely paffive , hut both pafftve and a Clive, fince, being influenced and moved by the previous grace of God, and affided by his fubfe- quent grace, he is aClive in the exercifes of faith, love, hope and other virtues .” Dodt. Ames, profeflor of divinity in the univerficy of Franaker, in his work, entituled Medulla Fheologite in the chapter concerning eftedfual calling, from fedt. 20, to 25, thus obferves, “ The reception of Chrift, with re- fpedt to man, is either paffive ©r adtive, Phil. 3. 12. *fhat I may apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended of Chrift. The paffive reception of Chrift is that, by which a fpiritual principle of grace is begotten in the ■will of man. Eph. 2. 5. He hath quickened us. For this grace is the foundation of that relacion, wherein we are united to Chrift. John 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. The will is the moft proper and primary lubjedt of this grace, becaufe the converfion of the will is the effectual principle of the converfion of the whole man, Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that t vorketh in you both to will and to do of his goodpleafure. An illumination ef the mind is not fufficientto produce this effcdt, becaufe it doth not take away that corruption which is featcd in the will, nor doth it communicate thereto, any new fupernatural principle, whereby it can convert itfelf. The will however, with refpedl to this firft reception, is not to be confidered either as freely a&ive, nor as irrationally paffive *, but as a fubjedt ca¬ pable of obeying the divine impreffion, 2 Cor. 4 6 . For God who commanded the light to point out of darknefs % hath (hined in our hearts,” &c. Mr. APPENDIX ; 89 Mr. Rutherford, a noted Scotch divine of the laft century, in his Exercitationes apologetic# pro gratia divind , gives his fentiments relative to the will’s following the laft didate of the underftanding (which are agreeable to the fentiments of Van MaftrichtJ in the following words, p. 306. “ If the laft judgment of the underftanding neceffa- rily and of itfelf determined the will, grace would be¬ come mere fuafion, nor would any internal grace be neceftary to cure the will j to remove the darknefs of the mind and inftrud it in what it is ignorant of would be fufficient, which is the grace of Pelagians. And thus the mind ©f a reprobate perfon, by an acquired habit of faith, and by clear objective evidence, might be lo taught (as appears to me pofliblein the prefent cafe) as to dilcern in a propofed a£t of obedience, 1. The facili¬ ty. 2. The plealure. 3. The utility •, and that the will fhould not in the prefent cafe (as it might do) turn the mind to confider, either the difficulty of it, or any other thing, wherein it might appear as dilagreeable, and chat the will fhould not turn the mind, from the contempla¬ tion of this ad, to earthly confiderations. In this cafe a perfon might believe, without his will’s ever being healed, and perform a fupernatural ad ; nor would there be any need of taking away the heart of ftone and put¬ ting within us a heart of fiefh. Nor do thofe places of feripture, which are commonly 'objected here, prove the contrary, as Pf. 9. 1©. And they that know thy name will put their trufi in thee. If this knowledge (fay they) did not determine the will, it might be that they that know the name of God would not truft in the Lord. And alfo John 4. 10. If thou knewejl the gift of God, and who it is that faith unto thee , give me to drink •, thou wouldjt have ajked of him , and he would have given thee living water. Now if this knowledge would not determine the will to afk living water of Chrijt, then the woman might have known the gift of God, and yet not have afked living M water 9 o APPENDIX. water of him ; and fo the words of Chrift would not have been true. Anf. In fuch like proportions', there is always underftood the phyfical agency of God, otherwife if it be taken exadly literal, it would follow that a fpeculative knowledge of the objed would be i fufficient for the ad of faith, without the infufion of a new power ; which no one will pretend.” Dod. Barman, profeffor of divinity in the univerfity of Utrecht thus obferves, relative to the infufficiency of illumination to renew the will, p. 227, of his I’heologia fynopfis , “Sandification immediately effeds the will, which the very learned Cameron wrongly denied, aflerting that the other faculties of the foul were redifted and perfeded by the light of the underftanding, that the will is not immediately affeded j but always follows the laft didate of the underftanding. Which are wrongly conneded together ; fince the order and connedion ofthefe facul ties, or the power and dominion which the underftand¬ ing exercifeth over the will, is not fuch, that the will implicitly followeth the fignal held up by the under¬ ftanding. Hence it happens that corruption doth, in fome feefe, cleave more ftrongly to the will, or more deeply affeds it, than it doth the underftanding ; hence the will cannot be excited, or move itfclf, according to the light of the underftanding alone. That the illu¬ mination of the underftanding is not fufficient, we have full proof daily from thofe who are reprobate. There muft be, over and above the illumination of the under¬ ftanding, an attention in the will : Which being fup- pofed the inclination of the will followeth the clear per¬ ception of the underftanding. But this attention is th~ gift of God, as appears in the cafe of Lydia. Ads 1 6: 14. Both Rutherford and Burman are. full in afferting the priority of regeneration to any gracious exercife, our paf- f v'ty therein, its being a pkyfical and not a moral opera¬ tion, its irrefiftibility, &c. Dod. Braunius profefTor of divinity at Groningen aftr, < . confuting APPENDIX . 9 t confuting many falfe notions of divine grace held by the Papifts, Remonftrants, &c. fuch as that it con lifts In moral fu&fion, in an external illumination, &c. he obferves, “ That the grace of God ought to be con¬ ceived of as a new creation.”— “That hereby God dif- peleth the darknefs of the mind, cnkindkth the lighc of truth, fofteneth and bendeth the will ; yea as it were creatcth it anew, reproduceth it, and raiftth it from the dead, and, powerfully, and fweetly determineth it to good, fo that it moft freely wills and embraces it.”—• “ Therefore the will of man is merely pafffae in the firft moment of the divine operation •, is paftive in being fafhioned by God according to his good plcafure.”— “ Hence the apoftle well obferves, that the will of man with refped to the grace of God is as clay in the hands of the potter, from whom it wholly receives it’s form.” Dotftrina Fiderum. p. 528. 529, 53,0. With refpedt to an illumination of the underftanding’s being fufticient for fandification, he thus obferves, “ Tfrey are wrong, who teach that fan&ification con- fiftethonly in the underftanding •, fince it confifteth in the underftanding and will together. The underftand- pg can exereife no dominion over the will; but is mere* .y piftive in the reception of objects, as they offer them* felves : But the will chuleth what it judgech to be belt. The underftanding therefore ought to be enlightened, that it may rightly receive objetft* and prapofe them to the will. T The will muft be renewed, that it may chule the greateft good. Nor doth it follow, from the will’s following the laft practical judgment, that the under* ftanding only needs to be la notified, and not the-will 5 fince this laft practical judgment is the work of the will j for the will judgeth ; not the underftanding.” 'Tis plain our au hor means by the undeift.^n :i-ng cbe fnnple.facu-Ity of perception ; and when he excludes judgment from the uiwerdaiyd- ing* he means the practical judgment, or th it which lefpedls our p.’f^tice, and not things merely fpeculative. In which rente perhaps this opinion, which as firft view appears fiagufir, be 1.01 from the truth. To A P P E N D 1 X. To thefe quotations I will add a few words from Mr. I Brine, a late ingenious writer in England. Page 126, of his book, entituled, Atreatife upon various fubjtsls. “ Regeneration preceeds and may be confidcred, as the foundation and fpring of converfion and fandifica- tion. For that is the principle from which both arife. Grace as a principle of fpiritual ads, is firft communi- ; cated, and from that proceed all acts of a holy fpiritual nature, both internal and external. Neither of the latter can be, until the firft is wrought. And when that is I effefled, boththe latter certainly follow. In the firft we are merely paflive, in converfion and iandincation we are adive.” P. 1 or. “Regeneration is the infufion of a new prin¬ ciple of fpiritual life. Naturally men are dead in tref- pafil's and fins, and, therefore, in order to their ading 1 in a holy and fpiritual manner, a living holy principle muft be communicated to them. Hence the faints are faid to be quickened,-that is to fay, they are infpired with life. And this is a new life, and is a fpring of new adions. It is called a new heart, and a new fpirit, and a heart of fiefh ; grace is not our old nature made better, and excited unto fpiritual ads ; but it is a new ! nature produced in our minds, by the infinite power ! and grace of God. For which reafon we are faid to be new creatures. Something now exifts in us, which had no being in our minds before. Nothing fbort of this j comes up to the fcriptural account of this matter. No excitations, no impulfes, no aids, however forcible and great they are fuppofed to be, reach the intention of the holy Spirit, in thofe phrafes, which he ufes on this fub- 1 jed. BTides our corrupt nature is not a fit fubjed for heavenly excitations, nor is it pofiible to bring it in fub- jedion to the obedience of Cbrift. The carnal mind can never become fub;edto the law of Chrift. A bitter-^ fountain will as foon fend forth fweet ftreams, which all know is impoffible. Regeneration doth not confift APPENDIX. “93 in acts, but in the produ&ion of a principle difpofed | unto actions holy and well pleafing unto God, by Je/us Chrift \ and therefore this work is inftantaneous and wrought on the mind at once.” “ By converfion I underftand, what may be called the primary a&ings of the regenerate principle. Before I proceed in difcourfing on which, I would premife two things. One is, the human mind, as it feems to me, is one rational principle of operation. The fchools have taught us, that there are three diftindl powers of the human foul, viz. The underftanding : The will ; and the affections. They have done this for the fake of accuracy, in fpeaking of the diftinft actions of our minds. 1 much queftion whether this is according to truth in philolophy, and I can’t but apprehend, that it hath not been ferviceably to the caufe of truth in divinity, par¬ ticularly, in treating on the fubjedl now under confide- ra ion. It feems to me, that our intelligent nature is one pow¬ er, and not the fubject of different and diftinCl powers, but capable of exerting itfelf, in various modes. Irt perception, willing, nilJing, loving, hating, &c. The other thing I would premile is this : That grace is one fpiritual principle of operation in the foul, and not, pro¬ perly fpeaking, various and diftindl habits leated in our mind ; but able to exerc itfelf after diverfe ways. As, in fpiritual perception, holy chufing and refufing, loving and delighting in fpiritual things, in a fpiritual manner, which are commonly fpoken of as ads of fo many dif¬ ferent and diftind habits of Grace in our minds ; but I think, that they ail proceed from one principle, as their common root and fpring. If this is true, thofe contefts, which have arifen and been litigated between learned men, concerning grace as having one power of the mind only for its fubjeCl, and concerning the impropriety, of fuppofing, that the grace of faith is feated in two pow¬ ers of the foul, viz, the underftanding and the will : I 94 APPENDIX. fay, if this is true, thofe contefts may loon be iflued, and that it is not, I am humbly of opinion, neither philo¬ sophy, nor religion will prove.” It fhould have been obferved to the reader, that by the reformed, or the reformed church , foreign writers mean all denominationsof Proteftaats, except the Lu¬ therans (with refpeft to whom they are called reformed) and fome heretical lefts that have fprung up among them, as the Socmans, Arminians , &c. This publication would have been rendered more compleat by quotations from Turretine and the doings of the famous Synod of Dort, had not the publilher been difappointed about procuring thefe books. N. B. The Synod of Dort mentioned by Van Maft- richt, Le Blanc, &c. confided of delegates from the whole Reformed Church, was called by the States of Holland in the reign of King James the Firft, to confi- der the Arminian herefy, which was condemned by that Synod. E R R A T' A. Page 28. line 19. for thefe read thofe. P. 44. 1 . 19. after confirms , add than dejtroys. P. 53. 1. 22. for enabled read enohled. P. 56. 1 . 6. for pure read purer. Ibid Jaffc line, for their read the. Before law read the. P. S1 . 1 . 12. for regeneration read generation. % !