CHAPTER II: The same continued
of creatures, which you reckon differing in kind, ver. 39. By these differing species, he sets out the difference of the natural and spiritual body, ver. 44, whenas that is but the change of qualities in them, which yet is said to make this vast difference. A vaster difference must needs hold much more in this transmutation of our souls we treat of. The one is natural, the other is spiritual. The persons are in the Scripture termed another generation of men. Peter distinguished those that are disobedient, 1st Epistle, chap. 2, ver. 8, and those born again, ver. 9, with a but of discrimination. 'But ye are a chosen generation.' Christ calls the other a generation of vipers.
The psalmist says, These are the generation of them that seek thee.'
And to the other a distinct generation is attributed by Christ, as in that speech, 'They are wiser in their generation than the children of light,' who are of another sort. And hence it comes to pass that the change made by the new birth is in Scripture expressed by such changes; or, as the apostle's word is, Rom. 12:2, by such a μεταμόρφωσις, 'Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.' It is a word which the poets used to express those changes which they feigned, from men to beasts, or beasts to men. The reality of which in this work might by many scriptures be made good, by shewing how the specifical properties of men's spirits are altered; like as if a lion were made a lamb, and such like. And this change the new birth makes at first, and that alone, in wholly beginning that new kind, which was not before.
CHAPTER II
The eminency of God's mercy in our regeneration evidenced from these considerations: that no motives from it can be supposed to incite God to do this for us; that we do not so much as concur
to the work, but are merely passive to it.— The uses of the doctrine.
Unto all that hath been said, this may be added further, that there can be supposed no motives inciting God to bestow this blessed change. It is not according to works of righteousness which we had done. In giving other mercies, after he hath begotten us, he may at least take occasion from something in us to move him; as, to give perseverance, for he that hath begun a good work will perfect it: for artifex amat opus; and he is faithful that hath begun it, to finish it. So to him that hath brought forth fruit already, he is therefore moved to purge him, that he may bring forth more fruit, John 15:2. 'And to him that hath, shall be given,' as Mat. 25, and often elsewhere. He crowns his own works in us with a farther increase. But before regeneration, there is neither any work of ours by us, nor work of his own in us, to move him. In giving glory, though he doth not bestow it propter opera, for our work, yet secundum opera, according to works. I speak as to degrees of glory; so everywhere up and down in Scriptures. Only in this work of regeneration there is neither propter nor secundum. Even according to works is excluded. No secundum, but of his mercy. 'According to mercy' (so Paul). 'According to his abundant mercy' (so Peter) 'hath he renewed us.'
2. The lesser concurrence man himself may be supposed to have in any work done by God for us, the greater, the entirer is the mercy shewn in it, for then it is wholly God's. Now of all things, whatever may be supposed we can do for ourselves, we cannot beget ourselves; as not at first could we have created ourselves. Neither can any creature do this for us. So John 1:13, 'Who were born' (says the evangelist), 'not of blood, nor of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' This birth goes not by blood. Neither that we are born of great parents, or of good. Therefore 'say not' (says Christ) 'you have
Abraham to your father.' Nor is it of the will of the flesh, the power of man's corrupt will, who is born nothing but flesh. Water may as soon of itself attain the form of fire, as the will of the flesh, that is, the will
as acted and informed by flesh, elevate itself, or be elevated (remaining flesh) into the least disposition or act of holiness. It is not in him that wills or runs, but in God that shews mercy. Nor is it in the will of man, nor of our parents or friends, that use all means to do us good; nor of the holiest, through their prayers or endeavours, to work it. Abraham would have had Ishmael, but God would not. No power or will of any creature whatsoever can regenerate us; but it is
God who of his own will begetteth us, as it is James 1:18.
And the reason of this is founded upon this observation, which holds in nature, that the more noble the birth is, the more God hath a hand in it; and this being the most noble, and wholly divine and heavenly, therefore it is alone from God. Animals are only said to be begotten.
Now beasts being more ignoble creatures, unto their begetting God concurs but by the ordinary way of providence, for they traduce both soul and body. But the birth of man, being of the most noble creature, God therefore reserves the main immediate stroke in it unto himself; and the parents having prepared the body through that plastica el prolifica seminis vis, God comes and infuses the soul. And therefore, Heb. 12:9), he is called 'the Father of spirits,' and they but the parents of our bodies.' Sol et homo generant hominem, says the philosopher, that is, God and man do beget man. But in this new birth, because the most noble of all, God doth all, and all is to be ascribed to him: James 1:17, 'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' And then he instanceth in this of regeneration, 'Of his own will he begat us.' The coherence evidently argues this to be so noble and so perfect a work of God's, and of such a kind as is wholly heavenly and divine, and from him as the Father of lights. That as nothing but the sun itself, that is, the visible Father of lights, can cause a true genuine likeness or image of itself, whether in the eye or in a glass, or in a parhelion in the clouds, so none but God alone can and doth frame the true image of himself in the hearts of men. This rich and noble begetting us of his will is therefore wholly heavenly and from above; for it is a perfect birth, a good and perfect gift, and so entirely descended from
above; whereas the works raised in the hearts of temporary believers are made up, partly through the influence of heaven, partly from selflove stirred up and excited thereby, and so are but imperfect gifts; like those creatures begotten by the sun warming and shining on mud, as frogs and other creeping things, whose form is raised and educed out of that corrupt matter the beams of the sun fell on.
I add, that take the substantiate of it, we contribute nothing, but are merely passive. Therefore an infant is as capable of all the essentials of regeneration as a man grown up is; and therefore of baptism. For what are the essentials of regeneration?
1. Christ's apprehending us, ere we him, Phil. 3. Thus children are capable of being apprehended by Christ; even as children in the womb are comprehended by the mother, though they hang, as the earth, in the middle, not laying hold on her.
2. The Holy Ghost shed down into the heart, as here in the text. This children are capable of, for John Baptist was 'filled with the Holy
Ghost from the womb,' Luke 1:15.
3. The new creature, in all the principles of it, the habits of holiness wrought, the workmanship (as it is called) which children are also as capable of; for as they are capable of all the evil dispositions of sin, and inclinations to it, so of holiness; yea, and therefore of sin now, because once of holiness. So as in receiving all these, a man may be wholly passive; and yet these are the substantial. All that follow are but the actings, by the Spirit, of that now creature in us, and our apprehending that for which we are comprehended (as the apostle speaks); yea and it is as certain that ere any man can be born of Christ, he must be apprehended of Christ; and ere he have spirit or divine nature begotten in him, he must have the Spirit come upon him; as also ere he can put forth the least act of holiness, he must have the principle of holiness; as no man that hath not a principle of life can stir a finger, or that hath not an eye can see. So then, in receiving all these a man of riper years is passive, and the receiving
of all depends upon no foregoing actings of his. 'Turn me' (say they in the prophet) 'and I shall be turned,' Jer. 31:18. Whereas afterwards acti agimus: Rom. 8:13, 'We by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh.' Not the Spirit alone, but we by the Spirit, who in our prayers is said to 'help our infirmities,' ver. 26. And therefore they are said to be our prayers, as well as the Spirit's in us. When the lamp is once lighted, put oil to it and it burns, but who shall light it?
When the wheel is made round, an easy touch sets it a-going; but who shall round it? In this therefore we are merely passives; though when thus turned, we also turn to God, Jer. 31:18.
Even of all the good works we are enabled afterwards to do, this is the womb, the foundation; so as without this one work first begun in thee, no work thou doest or canst do, hath the name of good; oven as all evil thoughts and lusts in the heart proceed from that corrupt nature we had at our birth. That is the mother of all abominations, which David in his confession, Ps. 5, had recourse unto. So is this seed of God, the divine nature at first put into us, the seed abiding, whence all that is good and acceptable springeth. They are all fruits of the Spirit, as the other of the flesh, Gal. 5. All the good we bear is from the root. First (says Christ) make the tree good. In some trades there is required frames of workmanship to be set up, or cast, ere they can work; as to a printer, a press; to him that will cast letters, a matrix (as they call it); to a weaver, a loom; to a smith, a forge; to a goldsmith, &c., moulds to cast metals in, from whence they receive their fashion. And the whole actings in their callings afterwards do depend on such workmanships and fabrics at first erected. Now so is it here, as in two places to follow these metaphors the apostle holds forth. The one Eph. 2:10, 'Ye are his workmanship, created to good works.' A new workmanship must be created ere any good work will be effected. The other text is Rom. 6:17, 'You have obeyed from the heart that form, mould, or pattern of doctrine ye were delivered into,' τύπον εἴς ὁν παρεδόθητε. The word of God he compares both to a pattern or sampler of obedience, and to a mould or matrix which their hearts were first cast in themselves, that so they might become a meet, fitted, and prepared womb, in which and from which all
obedience might receive its formation and shape, and there be cast.
Now you know that such as the mould is, such are the things cast therein; if they be misshapen, then are all the metals cast therein spoiled, as in some wombs the formation of children also is. Thou mayest perform works of all sorts that are good; but let me tell thee, unless thou hast thine own heart first made a new workmanship, a workmanship created and forged by the Spirit anew, as a principle thereunto, thou spoilest all in the doing, thou marrest all in the making. This for the reasons of this point.
Use 1. Let the saints bless God in a more special manner for this work of conversion and regeneration wrought in them. Study the riches of that mercy which have been shewn in it. Put this eminently and usually into that catalogue of mercies which thou givest thanks to God for. Two things are not reminded enough by us, our first birth-sin, to humble us in our confessions; our first birth-mercy to make us thankful; wherein abundance of mercy is shewn, there God looks for abundance of thanksgiving. Many years after Peter remembers it, to bless God for it, and stirs up them to it, and puts himself into the number; 'who hath begotten us.' So Paul also speaks
(who delights and takes often occasion to tell that story), 'To the King immortal,' &c., 1 Tim. 1. The links of that chain, 'Whom he hath predestinated, them he hath called; them he hath justified; them he hath glorified,' we should always wear about our hearts, to oblige us to thankfulness and obedience. Kings usually owe more to their births, in which they were mere passives, than to all their after achievements. Kings are therefore wont to celebrate their births. At the beginning and the laying the first foundation of God's great works of wonder, the angels are still brought in singing and rejoicing; at the foundation of the earth, Job 38:7, 'When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.' So at the birth of Christ, an heavenly host, a multitude sang. We read not so at his resurrection. Again, at the conversion of a sinner, there is joy amongst all the angels. Heaven rings of it that a new heir, a new prince, is born. And besides the substance of the mercy itself, if thou canst find out any peculiarity of mercies that environ it in the
circumstances of it, consider them, and bless God for them, this work being one of the greatest acts that ever God did about thee, or towards thee. God sometimes plots to set forth the mercy of it, to make his hand and love in it the more eminent and remarkable.
Christ's birth was accompanied with a star, which made it observed by the wise men; and all Jerusalem was troubled at it. And as our late chronologers undertake, it fell out in the four thousandth year of the world, as the finishing the temple, his type, in the three thousandth; and also at a time of general and universal peace. Some circumstances or other, perhaps, thou mayest discern in thy new birth, if thou hast had the advantage to discern the time or occasion of it. I shall mention some that are not merely circumstantial; whereof, though some one may be different from the other, yet in their variety they have some peculiarity of mercies.
1. The longer thou didst live before God turned thee, and yet did it, and the more sinful thou wert, this in one respect wonderfully heightens the mercy of it. Christ encountered Paul as a man would do an enemy in the open field, unhorsed him in full career, when his heart was more than ever set to mischief, and near the place of doing it.
2. On the contrary, the sooner God turned thee, if in thy youth, this was mercy to thee, for God had thy virginity, 'thy first love,' before lovers had bruised thy breasts. 'I remember' (says God) 'the kindness of thy youth, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness,' Jer. 2:2.
Paul in this respect complains of it as a disadvantage to him, that he was 'born out of time,' 1 Cor. 15:8, and like a truant had been put to this school or academy long after other apostles, who had the start of him. He seems to mention it with a little holy envy at the honour others had before him, 'who were' (says he) 'afore me in Christ,'
Rom. 16:7, and thereby were elder disciples than himself.
3. If God at thy conversion gives thee a greater stock and measure of grace, brings thee forth in a fuller stature in Christ the first day, herein is great mercy shewn. Thus Paul was recompensed. He was
born a strong man the first hour, insomuch as being the chief of the apostles added nothing to him in experience or knowledge, Gal. 2.
Many are born weaklings in comparison, and are long a-growing up to what thou perhaps at first receivedst.
4. If when God began to work it he did effect it speedily, in this he was kind to thee,—Hos. 13:13, 'Ephraim is an unwise son, he stayed long in the place of the breaking forth of children,'—if as Matthew, we come at the first call The rude and barbarous jailor had quick despatch. He came in trembling at midnight to Paul, and was converted with joy before break of day, yea, the same hour, Acts
16:25–34. The Philippians, the first day they heard it, Phil. 1:5. If as Paul, immediately thou conferrest not with flesh and blood, Gal. 1:16.
If as soon as God called thou heardst, and wert not rebellious, but openedst thine ear, this is an effect of God's peculiar love to thee.
5. If God put thee to less trouble and horror, brought thee forth with less pains, in this his mercy appears. Some souls have very hard labour. Paul lay but three days, and Christ from heaven pities him, and sends Ananias to him. The stone in some men's hearts God dissolves, when others are cut for it, and lie roaring night and day.
Lydia's heart was gently opened, and by faith closed up again (as Adam's was for Eve) ere she was aware. Though sometimes it falls out, the lesser fine, the more there is in rent after, in greater temptations.
6. Greater mercy is displayed to thee if God came in then with much joy, whenas he deals so roughly with others, as Joseph did with his brethren; but no sooner thou hadst begun to confess and open thy mouth to speak to him for his love, but he fell on thy neck and kissed thee, yea, came and kissed thee sleeping, and with joys first awakened thee; and instead of shewing thee the rack, the dungeon, the everlasting chains of wrath, and shutting thee up under the law, he had thee down into his wine cellar, and brought thee to a banquet.
The Thessalonians were thus dealt with: 1 Thes. 1:6, 'Ye became followers of the Lord, having received the word with joy in the Holy
Ghost,' &c. In a thousand of these varieties doth he deal with souls, and playeth with us in his wooings, that his ways should be past finding out. And if all the stories of souls converted in this as well as in the primitive times were written, you would admire Christ for nothing more than his art of love, and the variety of his artifices in wooing, and his manifold wisdom in contriving mercies in conversions.
7. The more exemplary our conversion was, the more peculiar was the mercy shewn in it. And such was that of those fore-named
Thessalonians: 1 Thes. 1:7, 8, 'Ye were ensamples to all that believe, and in every place your faith to God-ward was spread abroad.' Such likewise was that of the Romans, Rom. 1:8; and of the Ephesians, so Eph. 2:7. And thus Paul also speaks of his conversion: that he was 'a pattern of mercy to them that should afterward believe.' And thus much shall serve to shew the greatness of this work, from the abundance of mercy that God shews forth in it.
Use 2. You that have received this mercy from God, shew mercy to others; if in anything, in endeavours what in you lies to beget men to God. Though God alone doth it, yet he useth means; though means contribute nothing, yet God useth them, as the clay to open the eyes.
Hast thou a chamber-fellow, a pupil, a friend, a brother still in their natural state? Oh, if thou hast received mercy from God, endeavour to bring them in to obtain like mercy with thyself! 'On some have compassion, save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire,' Jude
22, 23, with fear lest they should die ere converted, snatching them with all violence Can you endure to see men burn? Hear what James also says in his last words: 'If any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.' Let him know; he speaks of it as a matter of such high worth and moment as few consider the worth, the greatness of such a work. 'Let him know he saves a soul from death,' and whom would not that move? And it is a means of forgiving innumerable sins. Who, with speaking a word, would not get a man in debt for
thousands freed? A man that converts another (though he contribute so little that God doth all), yet the person converted owes himself to him, Phil. 1:9. Oh, what do we then owe to Christ? And we have nothing but ourselves to give to him.
Use 3. Despise not the ministry nor work of it. It is to convert souls, and therefore it is the best calling in the world: 1 Tim. 1:12, 'And I thank Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;' the despised ministry, that few of you now-a-days will be of that calling. The wares it deals in is souls, men and their salvation: 1 Tim. 4:16, 'Thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee.' He could not give a greater motive unto any work. God had but one Son, and he made him a minister: Rom.
15:8, 'Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God,' which he preached among the Jews, through all their cities. One of his royal titles is, 'a bishop of souls,' 1 Pet. 2:25; only he is the chief, the arch-bishop, 1 Pet. 5:4, and we under-shepherds.
Use 4. Lastly, What is then the glory of the church, and so should be of universities? Even this, that multitudes of converts are born again therein, and they filled with such. In the 87th Psalm, 3–6, the psalmist enters into a comparison, in this very respect, of the surpassing glory of Sion and Jerusalem, the mother of us all, above all those nations and cities that were then renowned in the world, as Babylon, Tyre, Egypt, &c., who boasted of those worthies and heroes that they had brought forth and been the mothers of, their Belus,
Trismegistus. 'Glorious things' (says he) 'are spoken of thee, O city of God,' and far more glorious than all the nations. 'I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.' Among their familiars they used to boast and brag of their brave and gallant men as born among them. 'But of Sion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her.' If he had intended to vie and compare Sion with Babylon and Egypt, in respect of an outward birth and nobleness in that respect, or for worldly excellencies, that make men renowned, they might have excelled Sion, at least equalled her sons in that