power of nature, especially when affifted by external revelation. And nature may be fo elevated by the common influences of the Spirit, that one may thereby be turned into another man, (as Saul was, 1 Sam. x 6.) who yet never becomes a new man. But in regeneration nature itself is changed, and we become partakers of the divine nature; and this must needs be a fupernatural change. How can we, that are dead in trefpaffes and fins, renew ourselves, more than a dead man can raise himself out of his grave? Who, but the fanctifying Spirit of Chrift can form Chrift in a foul, changing it into the fame image? Who, but the Spirit of fanctification, can give the new heart? Well may we fay, when we fee a man thus changed, "This is the finger of God."

3. It is a change into the likenefs of God, 2 Cor. iii. 18. "We-beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image." Every thing that generates, generates its like the child bears the image. of the parent and they that are born of God, bear God's image Man afpiring to be as God, made himself like the devil. In his natural ftate he refembles the devil, as a child doth the father, John viii. 44 "Ye are of your father the devil." But when this happy change comes, the image of Satan is defaced, and the image of God reftored. Chrift himself, who "is the brightness of his Father's glory," is the pattern after which the new creature is made, Rom. viii. 29. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." Hence he is faid to be conformed in the regenerate, Gal, iv. 19.

4. It is an univerfal change: all things become new, 2 Cor. vi. 17. It is a bleft leaven that leavens the whole lump, the whole fpirit, and foul and body. Original fin infects the whole man, and regenerating grace, which is the falve, goes as far as the fore. This fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnefs: goodness of the mind, goodness of the will, goodnefs of the affections, goodness of the whole man. One gets not only a new head to know religion, or a new tongue, to talk of it; but a new heart to love and embrace it, in the whole of his converfation. When the Lord opens the fluice of grace on the foul's new-birth-day, the waters run through the whole man, to purify and make him fruitful. In thefe natural changes fpoken of before, there are, as it were, pieces of new cloth put into an old garment; a new life fewed to an old heart: but the gracious change is a thorough change, a change both of heart and life

of

5. Yet it is but an imperfect change. Tho' every part the man is renewed, there is no part of him perfectly renewed. As an infant has all the parts of a man, but none of them are come to their perfect growth; fo regeneration brings a perfection of parts, to he brought forward in the gradual advances of fanctification, i Pet. ii. 2. "As new-born babes defire the fiacere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." Although in regeneration there is a heavenly light let into the mind: yet there is fill fome darknefs there: tho' the will is renewed, it is not perfectly renewed; there is ftill fome of the old inclination to fin remaining: and thus it will be, till that which is in part be done away, and the light of glory come. Adam was created

at his full ftature; but they that are bora, must have their time to grow up fo thefe that are born again, do come forth into the new world of grace, but imperfectly holy; though Adam, being created upright, was at the fame time perfectly righteous, without the leaft mxture of finful imperfection.

LASTLY, Nevertheless it is a lafting change, which never goes off. The feed is incorruptible, faith the text; and so is the creature that is formed of it. The life given in regeneration, whatever decays it may fall under, can never be utterly loft.. A His feed remaineth in him, who is born of God," 1 John iii. 9. Though the branches fhould be cut down, the root hall abide in the earth; and being watered with the dew of heaven, fhail fprout again for "the root of the righteous fhall not be moyed," Prov. xii 3.

But to come to particulars.

Firft, In regeneration, the mind is favingly enlightened. There is a new light let into the Understanding, fo that they who were" fometimes darkness, are now light in the Lord," Eph. v. 8. The beams of the light of life make their way into the dark dungeon of the heart: then night is over, and the morning light is come, which will shine more and more, unto the perfect day. Now the man is illuminated,

1. In the knowledge of God. He has far other thoughts of God than ever he had before, Hof. ii. 20. "I will even betrothe thee unto me in faithfulnefs, and thoufhalt know the Lord." The Spirit of the Lord brings him back to that queft". on, "What is God?" And catechifeth him anew upon that grand point, fo as he is made to fay," I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eyes feth thee," Job xlii. 5. The fpotlefs purity of God, his exact juftice, his allfufficiency, and other glorious perfections revealed in his word,

are,

are, by this new light, difcovered to the foul, with a plainnefs and certainty that doth as far exceed the knowledge it had of thefe things before, as ocular demonstration exceeds common fame. For now he fees what he only heard of before.

2. He is enlightned in the knowledge of fin. He hath other thoughts of it than he was wont to have. Formerly his fight could not pierce thro' the cover Satan laid over it: but now the Spirit of God trips it before him, wipes off the paint and fairding; and he fees it in its native colours, as the worst of evils: exceeding finful, Rom. vii. 12. O what deformed monsters do formerly beloved lufts appear! were they right eyes, he would pluck them out: were they right hands, he would confent to their cuing off. He fees how offenfive fin is to God, how deftructive it is to the foul; and calls himself fool, for fighting fo long against the Lord, and harbouring that destroyer as a bofom friend.

3. He is inftructed in the knowledge of himfelf. Regenerating grace caufeth the prodigal to come to himself, Luke xv. 17. and makes men full of eyes within, knowing every one the plague of his own heart. The mind being favingly enlighined, the man fees how defperately corrupt his nature is.; what enmity against God and his holy law has long lodged there: fo that his foul lothes itself. No open fepulchre, no puddle fo vile and loathfome in his eyes as himself, Ezek. xxxv. 31.

Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall lothe yourfelves in your owo fight." He is no worfe than he was before: but the fun is fhining, and fo thefe pollutions are feen, which he could not difcern, when there was no dawning in him as the word is, Ifa. viii. 20. while as yet the day of grace was not broken with him.

4. Hs is enlightned in the knowledge of Jefus Chrift, 1 Cor. i. 23. 24. But we preach Chrift crucified, unto the Jews a ftumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift, the power of God, and the wifdom of God." The truth is, unregenerate men, tho' capable of preacing Chrift, have not (properly fpeaking) the knowledge of him, but only an opinion, a good opinion of him. is one has of many controverted points of doctrine, wherein he is far from certainty. As when ye meet with a stranger upon the road, he behaving himfelf discreetly, ye conceive a good opinion of him; and therefore willingly Congeife with him but yet ye will not commit your money

10 him; because, tho' you have a good opinion of the man, he is a ftranger to you, ye do not know him. So many think well of Chrift; but they will never commit then felves to him, feeing they know him not. But faving illumination carries the foul beyond opinion, to the certain knowledge of Chrift and his excellency, Theff. i. 5. "For our gofpel came not unto you in word only, but alfo in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much affurance." The light of grace thus difcovers the fuitableness of the mystery of Chrift, to the divine perfections, and to the finner's cafe. Hence the regenerate admire the glorious plan of falvation through Chrift crucified, lay their whole weight upon it, and heartily acquiefce therein, for whatever he be to others, he is to them, "Chrift, the power of God, and the wifdom of God." But unrenewed men, not feeing this, are offended in him: they will not venture their fouls in that bottom, but betake themselves to the broken boards of their own righteoufnefs. The fame light convincingly difcovers a fuperlative worth, a tranfcendent glory and excellency in Chrift, which darken all created excellencies, as the rifing fun makes the ftars to hide their heads and fo it engages "theerchant-man to fell all that he hath, to buy the one pearl of great price, Matth. xii. 459 46. makes the foul well content to take Chrift for all, and instead of all. Even as an unfkilful merchant, to whom one offereth a pearl of great price, for all his petty wares, dares not venture on the bargain; for tho' he thinks, that one pearl may be more worth than all be has, yet he is not fure of it: but when a jeweller comes to him, and affares him, it is worth doub'e all his wares; he then greedily. embraceth the bargain, and chearfully parts with all that he has for that pearl. Finally, This illumination in the knowledge of Christ, convincingly discovereth to men a fulness in him, fufficient for the fupply of all their wants; enough to fatisfy the boundlefs defires of an immortal foul. They are perfuaded fuch fulness is in him, and that in order to be com municate they depend upon it, as a certain truth; and therefore her fouls take up their eternal reft in him.

4. The man is inftructed in the knowledge of the vanity of the world, Pal. cxix. 96. "I have feen an end of all perfection.". Regenerating grace elevates the foul, fets it, as it were amongst the mars, from whence this earth cannot but appear a little, yea, a very little thing even as heaven appeared before, while the foul was immerfed in the earth. Grace brings a man into a new world while this world is reputed but a ftage of vanity,

an

an howling wilderness, a valley of tears. God hath hung the fign of vanity at the door of all created, enjoyments; yet how do men throng into the houfe, calling and looking for fomewhat that is fatisfying; even after it has a thousand times toki them, there is no fuch thing in it, it is not to be got there, Ifa. lvi. rp. "Thou art wearied in the greatnefs of thy ways; yet faidft thou not, There is no hope." Why are men fo foolish? The truth of the matter lies here, they do not fee by the light of grace, they do not fpiritually difcern, that fign of vanity. They have often indeed made a rational discovery of it: but can that truly wean the heart from the world? Nay no more than painted fire can burn on the prifoner's bands. Eut the light of grace is the light of life, powerful and efficacious.

LASTLY, (To fum up all in one word) in regeneration the mind is enlightened in the knowledge of fpiritual things, 1- John ii. 20. “Ye have an unction from the holy One, (that is, from Jefus Chrift. Rev. iii. 18. It is an allufion to the fanctuary, whence the holy oil was brought to anoint the priests). and ye know all things," viz. neceffary to falvation. Tho men be not book-learned, if they be born again, they are Spiritlearned; for all fuch are taught of God, John vi. 45. The Spirit of regeneration teacherb them what they knew not before ; and what they did know, as by the car only, he teacheth them over again as by the eye. The light of grace is an overcoming light, determining men to affent to divine truths on the mere teftimony of God. It is no eafy thing for the mind of mán, to acquiefce in divine revelation. Many pretend great refpe&t to the fcriptures whoist, nevertheiefs, the clear feipture teftimony will not divorce from their pre-conceived opini ons. But this illumination, will make men's minds run, as captives after Christ's chariot wheels; which, for their pare fhall be allowed to drive over and caft down their own imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itfelf against "the knowledge God" 2 Cor. x. 5. It will make them, receive the kingdom of God, as a little child," Mark x. 15. who thinks he has fufficient ground to believe any thing, if his. father do but fay it is fo..

SECONDLY. The Will is renewed. The Lord takes away the Alony heart, and gives a heart of fieth, Ezek. xxxvi, 26. And fo of ftones raifeth up children to Abraham. Regener. ing grace is powerful and efficacious, and gives the Will a new fet. It does not indeed force it:: but fweetly yet powerfully draws it, fo that his people are willing is the day of h

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