savour and relish; it is according to the image, the im- | generate men, do not; they do not so truly and properly press, they have upon them; if they be like this world possess this world as they are possessed by it; those that they can savour nothing else but the things of the world. are ignorant, are lords and masters of it; but for great "They that are of the world, speak of the world, and the men, that is master of them, they are slaves to it; worldly world heareth them," as at verse 5, of this chapter. desires, worldly inclinations, worldly interests, worldly Worldly minded men can discourse with one another of designs engross them, and swallow them up; they are inthe things of the world all the day long with gust and gulfed of this world, and possessed by it; they have not a relish, and never be weary; but the things of God they power over it, but it hath a power over them. See what a have no relish, no savour of. Therefore there is a diverse spirit of liberty as to this the apostle describes, 1 Cor. vi. impression upon the mind and spirit of the one and of the 12. "All things are lawful unto me," (speaking of such other. To the same purpose is that John viii. 43. "Why things as he refers to, the lawful use of the creatures,) any do ye not understand my speech ?" saith our Saviour, thing to which I have an inclination; this or that sort of even because ye cannot hear my words." You cannot creature that I have need of, I may lawfully enjoy them; hear them; there is another gust and relish of things with but nothing hath that power over me that I cannot disyou; they cannot enter into you, as he saith a little be- tinguish between expedient and inexpedient; but I may fore in the same chapter; "My word hath no place in you." covet too much of that which is in itself simply a lawful There is no likeness, no similitude or agreement between thing, and so turn it into unlawful. And how doth he the impression, influence, and tenor of my words and your expound it? why, thus-that he kept himself from being minds; your minds disagree, are otherwise impressed under the power of any thing-" all things are lawful for and otherwise tinctured. So in verse 47 of the same chap-me, but all things are not expedient." And even among ter, "He that is of God heareth God's words; ye there- these things it is that he resolved he would be under the fore hear them not, because ye are not of God." You power of nothing. Here is the difference in reference to have nothing divine in you, nothing of the distinguishing the state of the two, between the regenerate and unregenwork, therefore you cannot hear the words of God. This erate, and that with relation to this world. Whatsoever the is one thing concerning this image to be abolished, to wit, unregenerate man's heart is set upon in this world, it hath there must be an opposition to it wherever the contrary him under its power; it hath power over him, so that he image is to be introduced. And, shapes and grounds his course accordingly; doth not consider whether he shall walk by rule or not by rule, whether he shall please God or displease him, but only considers, shall I please myself? or is this a thing which I find suitable to my purpose? will it serve my end? I find it will be grateful, will it be otherwise serviceable to me? And so are the questions determined; all disputes end and are decided in this manner; and so this world hath him continually under its power. They are lords and masters of nothing of it; though every thing that is grateful and most suitable to them is master of them, and hath the power over them. But whatsoever " is born of God overcometh the world," brings it under, prevails, and tramples over worldly inclinations; that is, the Divine and heavenly principle, so far as it does obtain, is a victor. It is a hero, a divine birth that is produced. It was said of that great hero among the pagans, (Hercules,) that in his cradle he strangled two serpents. They are the things of this world that the old serpent tempts by, and preys upon the souls of men to their destruction. But one that is born of God overcomes. When the regenerating principle takes place, it makes the slave a victor; he that was a slave to this world before is now a conqueror. There is then a worldly image wrought out, that was inwrought by the spirit of the world, and maintained till the work of regeneration be found to take place; and then is the Divine image introduced: which is the next thing here to speak of, and to show the resemblance of God in that which will appear in many particulars hereafter to be mentioned.

Secondly, There must be a victory over it, to which that opposition tends; and it is to no purpose if it have not that glorious end, if it do not end in this. Indeed there may be strivings that have a worse end, as in that 2 Pet. ii. 20. some that do escape the pollutions of the world through the knowledge [oh, sad word] of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, (in a degree,) who are again entangled therein, and overcome, and their end is worse than their beginning. But this regenerating work doth effect and bring about actual victory over this world and its spirit, so as to disentangle a man's heart from it. And pray observe to this purpose what you have in the context where the text lies, that, as in this verse, you hear what is said, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God;" so it is also told us at verse 4. that "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." And that he might give to understand that he speaks consistently with himself, pursuantly to his design in verse 5. he adds, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" He that hath this faith in him is a conqueror over this world; if it be this faith indeed, not the name, not the show, not the mock show of it only. And let this now be gladly thought of, "He that believeth Jesus to be the Christ, is born of God; he that is born of God, overcometh the world;" first taking this sound and sense of it, that is, that whoever is born of God, is by the new birth become so noble, so raised, and so altered a creature, that he can be no longer a slave to this world only. What, are the sons of God, his children, to be slaves? If they are born of him, he is their Father, and they are his sons. What more monstrous absurdity can be conceived, than that a son of God, and born of God by a divine birth, should be held afterwards to so base a thing as this world is? What, do you think that the sons of God are to be in a state of slavery? No; so soon as they are born they conquer, they overcome. That is, the Divine principle in them is a victorious principle. And so the other image (though there be fragments of it) is not entire, it is broken, and there can be but fragments. It is not the spirit of this world that is reigning and governing, but another spirit; and hereupon this is observable in the very complexion of their spirits, they can use the things of this world as other men do, but they do not entirely enjoy them, so as to rest in them, or to get their rest from them; but their tendency is higher; they in the most true sense possible possess them, but are not possessed by them; they are proprietors in the truest sense of the things of this world, to wit, by a restored right from God; he hath renewed their right, hath given them a right that was forfeited and lost; and so are they in a true sense owners of what portion he allows them in this world; under him they are owners and possessors; they do possess, but are not possessed; other men, unre

Only methinks upon what hath been said, this should be considered: A believer as to this truth, Jesus is the Christ, is one born of God. Methinks it should make every one lay his hand upon his heart, and say, Will I now adventure to call myself a believer, to avow and profess myself I am one that believeth Jesus to be the Christ? Take heed of compounding together inconsistencies. We shall compound together perfect inconsistencies if we do but admit the notion into our minds of an unregenerate believer? An unregenerate believer? To say so is to speak falsely, to say that which overthrows itself. There can be no such thing as an unregenerate believer, otherwise than in sound. You compound together impossibilities, incompossibilities, things that cannot consist. Every one that believeth Jesus to be the Christ, is born of God. Upon the whole, then, it is a great assuming to say, I am a believer; yes, it is a great assuming. It is a great thing for any one to say so. God forbid but that there should be many, that many may hourly say so. But they that say so, say a great thing; and they had need weigh and consider what they say when they say this, I am a believer; for in this same breath you say, (or imply it, whether you say it or no,) I am born of God, I am a heaven-born creature, I am of a divine original, I am of God, because stampt with his image, and governed by the

ii. Doth this similitude to God in this respect stand, on the other hand, in being exempt from having any body (2.) We mean to show, that there is suitableness to God at all, or any corporeity. It is not in that we are to resemin the thing produced. The influence is transient, the ef- ble God. That is the opposite doctrine of them who of old fect is permanent; and then show there must be a perma- | denied the resurrection of the body; as if that must be too nent abiding influence of God upon that soul that is rege-mean a state to have a part after any body at all; and so nerate and born of him. we should never be perfectly like God till we were perfectly free from having corporeity about us. Nor again,

of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Whereby it is that he exalts this sunk, depressed spirit, that was immersed in flesh, buried in flesh, where it should but dwell. Flesh should have been its mansion, but it became and was made its grave, its dormitory. But by regeneration this spirit is raised into dominion; it is the spirit that is fetched out of the grave, and made a governing thing over the flesh, over all natural appetites and desires. That is the product in the work of regeneration, this is the thing produced and brought forth. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John iii. 6. Signifying that the spirit of a man, whilst it remains a servant and slave to natural inclinations, hath even forfeited its name; it is no more worthy to be called spirit.

The denomination is taken from what is prevailing and governing. If the natural principle do prevail, this compound now is called nothing but flesh. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." But when the spiritual principle is revived and authorized, made the governing principle of the man, it then regains its name, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'

alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is a great deal of vitality, liveliness, and vigour in an unregenerate man, perhaps. And which way doth it work? Either towards forbidden, or towards mean things. They are either alive to sin, to that which is forbidden; or towards things that are contemptibly mean. Alive to the world, towards which they should be mortified, crucified, and it crucified to them, so as that the world and they should be dead things to one another. When the great regenerating work is wrought, God is the great terminus of that life that is then begun. That is a life that is sanctified, is infused, added to a pre-existing thing. In regeneration a man is not in all essentials created anew; then what could be said to Nicodemus's question? "Can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?" No, it is only a holy, sanctified influence that is infused, and doth supervene, as what was grafted upon nature, upon that stock; and so that life becomes a holy life that was but a natural life before. It rested before in all its tendencies in self; in flesh, in this world, in vain or prohibited things, as was said; but now it tends to God, and acts all in a divine sphere, and therefore is called a divine life, the life of God. And so look,

For that it signifies nothing unto that conformity to God, which being born of him doth import, that there is such a thing as a natural spirit in man, when that natural spirit ii. To the aliment of this life, that shows this to be a doth not do its office, or retain its state, doth not keep the divine creature that is now produced, that nothing will throne, but is become basely and meanly servile. And the serve it to live upon but divine things: it must live upon tragedy is so much the greater in this respect, and the more immediate communications from God. And I pray you, deplorable, by how much the less apprehensive and sensible as we go along, you will consider with yourselves whether the unregenerate soul is of the state of its own case. By how there are any such workings and strivings in you as must much the more excellent and noble powers it hath belong-have God for your continual support. Are there any coning to it, it is so much the more fearful spectacle to behold stant aspirations towards him? As the hart panteth after and look upon, to see it enslaved to sense, and brought into the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." the state of so vile a depression, and is become so mean This is the sense of the regenerate soul, I cannot live and abject a thing. As the son of a prince captured in his without God. The same as in Gal. ii. 19. That life that infancy, and made a base drudge, he is so much the more is peculiar to a regenerate person is, that he is through the a deplorable thing, by how much the more his spirit is de-law dead to the law; in order to a new life springing up pressed and sunk into that state into which he is brought; in him, that he may live unto God. But how then afterso as that he likes his servitude, his spirit is grown hard, wards is this maintained? Look to the twentieth verse, perfectly (perhaps) ignorant of his true original. So it is "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not with the souls of men generally; they are unapprehensive I, but Christ liveth in me.' And the life I live in the of their own original excellency and dignity, and are con- flesh; whilst I live so meanly in this base flesh, I have a tent to serve and be voluntary slaves to divers lusts and life springing and flourishing in me that is maintained conpleasures, till regenerating grace be vouchsafed. But now it tinually by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and becomes a God-like thing again. When, however, it dwells gave himself for me. This is the regenerate life. By its in flesh, that flesh is not a sepulchre to it as before, but a tendencies, and by its aliment, it appears to be a divine mansion; here it dwells still, but here it governs, governs thing, and that this is a creature born of God. For which over that, and is itself immediately subject to God. That way doth it work? and what supports doth it seek, and is is the thing wherein similitude to God consists, and which it continually sustained by? This is most agreeable to must be found in every one that is born of him, a govern- the former: "for to be carnally minded is death, but to be ing, prevailing spiritually, so as that the soul is alone made spiritually minded is life and peace," Rom. viii. 6. So like itself, and like God; it is made like one and the other long as the soul is under a prevailing carnality, so long is all over, like what it once was, and like him from whom it dead to every thing that is good. But when regenerait was. But there is in others a spirit too, but ingulfed and ting grace takes place in it, as it is in that work spiritswallowed up in a regnant, prevailing, and domineering ualized, thence it is consequent, that life springs in it carnality. A spirit, but employed only in serving this agreeably to such a divine nature as is put into it. "To flesh, and the fulfilling the divers lusts thereof, till regene-be spiritually minded is life and peace;" and a most sigrating grace take place.

Secondly, That which is con-natural, and consequently necessary, this similitude stands in life; divine spiritual vigour. There is life, as it is a spirit, in the natural sense in unregenerate ones too; but in the mean time this is given as the common character, alienated from the life of God. They have no participation of the divine life, Eph. iv. 18. There are two things wherein an apparent difference lies, and may be seen: that is, whether you consider the tendency, or whether you consider the aliment of that life, in the one and in the other way.

i. Whether you consider the tendency hereof. Here is life and vigour in the regenerate man, so there is in the unregenerate too, and (it may be) a great deal more of natural life and vigour: but in the unregenerate where doth it tend? which way is it directed? still in the pursuit of vanity: the operations and actions of life in him are perpetual, everlasting triflings. But consider life now morally, and things morally considered are to be estimated by their end. The end is morality, habet ratione forma, is specifying and distinguishing. Here is life, but which way doth it work? He who to the regenerate is the immediate prime author of life, is the object too. They are "alive to God through Jesus Christ," Rom. vi. 11. Dead to sin, but

nificant adjunct that is; to let us know that this life is not the life of a fury, or that peace is not the peace of a fool; but both these are in conjunction, complicated with one another, peaceful life, and vital peace; a steady principle that works sedately and calmly, and with such regularity towards the objects and in the business that it is to be engaged and taken up about. It is not an ungovernable principle, but as there is life belonging to that sedate and peaceful frame that now takes place in the soul, so there is peace and calmness and tranquillity belonging to that life which springs up in the soul. And this is one part of its likeness unto God, called the life of God, or living unto God, that is part of the work of regeneration in such as are born of God. But then,

Thirdly, There is a divine power that appears and is put forth in such as are born of God. And this also is to be understood accommodately to the sphere of grace into which such a one is translated out of the order of quite natural production. It is raised into a higher sphere. The schools do commonly distinguish, in speaking to this matter, of those things that are of the order of nature, and those that are of the order of grace; speaking of them as two distinct spheres. And according to what was said concerning that life in the one and the other, so must we

speak concerning that power that exerts itself in the one | things. To wit, that gustful knowledge, that practical and the other sort of men. It was a Divine power to knowledge, that transmutative knowledge, which will most which the production was owing of the divine nature. manifestly appear to be peculiar to them from the rest of "According as this Divine power hath given us all things men. In the 19th verse of this chapter, where the text pertaining to life and godliness, wherein there is given lies, "We know that we are of God, (an elliptical expresus exceeding great and precious promises, that by these sion of being born of God,) and he hath given us an unwe might be partakers of the divine nature," 2 Pet. i. derstanding to know him that is true." Are we born of 3, 4. A God-resembling nature! These productions carry God? Then we have a spiritual eye-sight, a cognitive the divine impress upon them in this respect, that there power, enlightened towards God so as to make us capable was an appearance of a divine power in the effect, which of knowing him, and of knowing him with so active and is a permanent thing. As we told you the influence did operative a knowledge as to give us a union with him; he pass away, but it did relinquere post se opus, it left a work hath given an understanding to know him that is true, so behind it, wherein are permanent, abiding signatures of a as to be in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: divine hand, that show it to be a thing to be produced by this is the true God and eternal life. God himself; whereupon you read of a certain power belonging to godliness. And that spirit that is given is said to be a spirit of love and power, and of a sound mind. To us a spirit is given, imparted and communicated. As in that John iii. you read of a Spirit producing, and Spirit produced. The Divine Spirit ingenerated is there called by the name of Spirit. And that spirit that is capable of being given, of abiding, and being permanent, is said to be a spirit of love, power, and a sound mind. That which is born of God in a regenerate person, it is a powerful thing: and therefore is a principle of divine power which animates that form of godliness, so as that it is not a mere spiritless form. "From them that only have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, (practically deny it, understand it not, know no such thing, look after no such thing, as if they did in plain words deny the reality of it, as if it were only a fiction, a fancy,) from such turn away, as a living man would from a putrifying carcass," 2 Tim. iii. 5. There is no society between the living and the dead. A regenerate man can take no pleasure in such conversation; with such as savour of nothing else but carnality and death in all their conversation; from such turn away. The divine principle in them as well as their rule bids them to turn away from them. There is none but impure, putrid breath that comes from them. They smell of a grave, turn away from them.

It is very true indeed, that when the regenerate work takes place, there is very often great complaints of much weakness; the good that I would, that I cannot do; and when I would be doing good, evil is present with me. But there is a great deal of difference between weakness and death, between an ability to do much and a disability to do any thing at all. There is nothing can be done by the unregenerate person in vital and real religion; to every such good work he is reprobate. It is one thing to be impotent and feel, another to be impotent and feel nothing. A carcass doth not complain that it can do nothing, but a sick man doth; he complains of impotence if he be sick only. But if there be a total death, it is impotency, of which there is no complaint. And what there is of power, (as there is always some power always going with the regenerate life and principle,) it is a power of a higher kind and order than that which doth belong to the rest of men, wherein they do something, though but little, yet above all that the unregenerate world can do. They can love God, though it is too weakly, too faintly; they can desire after him, can pant for him. The rest of the world are strangers to such desires, to such designs. The practical workings of the powers that belong to them still terminate in an inferior orb, they never reach God, there is no working of power that way. And therefore it is said of such unregenerate men in common, that they are without strength. It signifies total destitution. They are without any strength of that kind; in that kind they can do nothing at all. When a man shall make an essay upon itself, try himself before his own soul, say to it, Oh! my soul, what canst thou do in a design for God, for heaven, for eternal life? When all a man's natural powers are bound quoad hoc, as to this. It is true he hath powers in him belonging to his nature; but they work not at all this way. Why, here is a manifest difference between the regenerate and unregenerate world in this respect. In the regenerate there is a principle of divine power that works in them towards God, and can employ itself about divine things.

Fourthly, This similitude unto God appears in the knowledge which such as are born of him have of divine

Consider the matter reasonably. Do you think that they who are born of God are born blind? Are they born blind towards God, and towards the things of God?. Doth he emit from himself any so imperfect, and mean, and maimed a production? "I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father," 1 John ii. 13. As soon as they are children, as soon as they are so born, born of God as their Father, there is a disposition of mind to him to receive the knowledge of him. The rest of the world do not like to retain God in their knowledge, they are ignorant of God; not because he cannot be known, that that knowledge should take place in or should centre in them. That knowledge is our notion of divine light, though it hath a further notion, as you may hear hereafter. They have a light darted into the inmost centre of their souls. Indeed a superficial light there is in every unregenerate mind too; some natural notions of God; light that is morally, objectively divine, conversant about God. For I do not think any man can totally abolish and rend off the characters of God from his mind, tear out the ideas. They that have set themselves most industriously to do so have been able to effect nothing therein to satisfy themselves, but so as still there would remain a formido oppositi, a dread that he is whom they would fain make themselves believe not to be. Therefore the fool's saying, of what we find Psal. xiv. 1. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God," it is not an assertion, but it is a wish. The copulative in the text is wanting, which we supply needlessly. The fool hath said in his heart, No God. Let there be none, oh that there were none! It is not what they put into a proposition, there is none that can obtain so much of themselves, but they have their secret wish, Oh that there were none! So they are willingly ignorant of God. "Alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts," Eph. iv. 18. Such a blindness as consists only in a resolution not to see, or in an unwillingness to see. But that knowledge of God, and of divine things which belong to the regenerate state; it is not that superficial knowledge which hovers in the soul and surface of the mind; but it is central, it centres in the soul. "God, that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts." So that this light which is in the heart, must be understood to carry a liking and complacency in it, That as the unregenerate soul doth not like to retain God in its knowledge, the regenerate liketh this knowledge; it is lightsome to them, and carries a pleasant savour with it whence it comes to be operative and unitive, and unites the soul with the object known. And,

Fifthly, Another signature of God upon this same product, a regenerate soul, is spiritual wisdom, which superadds much, in the ordinary notion of it, unto mere knowledge; for many may know much, that are not wise. But wisdom is the parent of this seed and offspring; therefore, it is said to be justified of its own children. All the unregenerate are fools, "For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour," Titus iii. 3, 4, 5, 6. There are not greater instances of folly and madness among them who lie under cure in houses set apart on purpose for that