Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

it But they love them for their commendable qualities or perfections, whether natural or moral; becaufe, in whomfoever thefe are, they are from God, and can be traced to hip as their fountain. Finally, regenerating grace fets the Affections fo firmly on God, that the man is difpofed, at God's command, to quit his hold of every thing else, in order to keep his hold of Chrift; to hate father and mother, in comparilon with Chrift, Luke xiv. 26. It makes even lawful enjoyments like Jofeph's mantle, to hang loofe about a man; that he may quit them when he is in hazard to be enfoared by holding them..

If the ftream of our Affections was never thus turned, we are, doubtless, going down the ftream into the pit. If the luft of the eye, the luft of the flesh, and the pride of life, have the throne in our hearts, which fhould be poffeffed by the Father, Son, and holy Ghoft; if we never had so much love to God, as to ourselves; if sin has been somewhat bitter to us, but never fo bitter as fuffering, never so bitter as the pain of being weaned from it truly we are frangers to this faving change. For grace turns the Affections upfide down, whenever it comes into the heart.

FOURTHLY, The confcience is renewed. Now, that a new light is fet up in the foul in regeneration; confcience is enlightned, inftructed, and informed. That candle of the Lord, (Prov. xx. 27.) is now fnuffed and brightned; fo as it fhines, and fends forth its light into the most retired corners of the heart; difcovering fins which the foul was not aware of before: and, in a fpecial manner, difcovering the corruption or depra-vity of nature, that feed and fpawn whence all actual fins proceed. This produces the new complaint, Rom. vii. 24.

O wretched man that I am! who fhall deliver me from the body of this death?" That confcience which lay fleeping in the man's bofom before, is now awakened, and makes its voice to be heard through the whole foul: and therefore there is ro more rest for him in the fluggard's bed; he must get up and be doing, arife, hafte and efcape for his life. It powerfully incites to obedience; even in the mott fpiritual acts, which ly not within the view of the natural confcience; and powerfully reftrains from fin, even from thefe fins which do not ly open to the obfervation of the world. It urgeth the fovereign authority of God, to which the heart is now reconciled, and which it willingly acknowledges and fo it engageth the man to his duty, whatever be the hazard from the world; for it fills the heart fo with the fear of God, that the force of the fear of man

1

is broken. This hath engaged many to put their life in their hand; and follow the caufe of religion they once contemned, and refolutely walk in the path they formerly abborred. Gal. i. 23. "He which perfecuted us in times palt, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed." Guilt now makes the confcience to smart. It hath bitrer remorfe for has paft, which fills the foul with anxiety, forrow and felf loathing. And every new reflexion on thefe fins, is apt to affect and make its wounds, biced afresh with regret. It is made tender, in point of fin and duty, for the time to come; being once burnt, it 'dead's the fire; and fears to break the hedge, where it was formerly bit by the ferpent. Finally, The renewed confcience drives the finner to Jefus Chrift, as the only physician that can draw out the fting of guilt; and whofe blood alone can purge the confcience from dead works," Heb. ix. 14. refufing all eafe offered to it from any other hand. And this is an evidence that the confcience is not only fired, as it may be in an unregenerate ftate, but oiled alfo, with regenerating grace.

FIFTHLY, As the Memory wanted not its fhare of depravity, it is alfo bettered by regenerating grace. The Memory is weakened with refpect to thofe things that are not worth their room therein; and men are taught to forget injuries, and drop their refentments, Matth. v. 44, 45. "Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you,—That ye may be (i. e. appear to be) the children of your Father which is in heaven." It is ftrengthened for fpiritual things. We have Solomon's receipt for an ill memory, Prov. iii. 1. "My fon, faith he, forget not my law." But how fhall it be kept in mind?"Let thine heart keep my commandments.” - Grace makes a heart-memory, even where there is no good head memory. Pfal. cxix. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart." The heart truly touched with the powerful fweetnefs of truth, will help the memory to retain what is fo relished. Did divine truths make deeper impreffions on our hearts, they would thereby imprefs themfelves with more force on ουτ memories, Pfal. cx x. 93. "I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickned me" Grace fanctifies the memory. Many have large, but unfan&tified memories which ferve only to gather knowledge, whereby to aggravate their condemnation: but the renewed memory ferves to remember

[ocr errors]

his commandments to do them,” Pfal. ciii. 18. It is a facred ftore-boufe, from whence à Chriftian is furnished in his way to Zion for faith and hope are often, fupplied out of it, in a dark

hour.

hour. It is the ftore houfe of former experiences; and thefe are the believer's way-marks, by noticing of which, he comes to know where he is, even in a dark fime, Pfal. xlii. 6. “O my God, my foul is caft down within me therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, &c. It alfo helps the foul to godly forrow and felf-loathing, prefenting old guilt anew before the confcience: and making it bleed afresh, tho' the fin be already pardoned, Pfal. xxv. 7. "Remember not the fins of my youth." And where unpardoned guilt is lying on the fleeping confcience, it is often employed to bring in a word, which in a moment fets the whole foul a-ftir: as when Peter remembered the words of Jefus." he went out and wept bitterly," Matth. xxvi. 75. The word of God laid up in a fan&ified memory, ferves a man to refift temptations, puts the fword in his band against the spiritual enemies, and is light to direc his fteps in the way of religion and righteousness.

A

[ocr errors]

SIXTHLY, There is a change made on the body, and the members thereof, in respect of their ufe: they are confecrated to the Lord. Even the body is for the Lord, 1 Cor. vi. 13. It is the temple of the holy Ghost, ver. 19. The members thereof, that were formerly inftruments of unrighteousness unto fin, become inftruments of righteoufnefs unto God, Rom. vi. 13. Servants to righteoufnefs unto holiness, ver. 19. The eye that conveyed finful imaginations into the heart, is under a covenant, Job xxxi. to do fo no more; but to ferve the foul in viewing the works, and reading the word of God. The ear that had often been death's porter to let in fin, is turned to be the gate of life, by which the word of life enters the foul. The tongue that fet on fire the whole course of nature, is restored to the office it was defigned for by the Creator; namely, to be an inftrument of glorifying him, and fetting forth his praife. In a word, the whole man is for God, in foul and body, which by this bleffed change are made his.

LASTLY, This gracious change fhines forth in the converfation. Even the outward man is renewed. A new heart makes newnefs of life. When the King's daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought gold, Pial. xiv. 13. The fugle eye makes the whole body full of light, Matth. vi. 22. This change will appear in every part of one's converfation, particularly in thefe following things.

I. In the change of his company. Tho' fometimes he defpifed the company of the faints, now they are excellent, in whom is all his delight, Pfal. xvi. 3. "I am a companion of all

P

that

that fear thee." faith the royal Pfalmift, Pfal. cxix. 63. A renewed man joins himself with the faints: for he and they are like minded, in that which is their main work and bufinefs: They have all one new nature: They are all travelling to IMMANUEL'S land, and converfe together in the language of Canaan. In vain do men pretend to religion, while ungodly company is their choice: for," A companion of fools fhall be destroyed, Prov. xiii, 20. Religion will make man thy of throwing himself into an ungodly family, or any unneceffary familiarity with wicked men: as one that is clean, will beware of going into an infected houfe.

2. In his relative capacity, he will be a new man. Grace makes men gracious in their feveral relations, and natively leads them to the confcientious performance of relative duties. It does not only make good men, and good women: but, makes good fubjects, good hufbands, good wives, children, fervants, and, in a word, good relatives in the church common-wealth and family. It is a juft exception made against the religion of many, namely, that they are bad relatives, they are ill husbands, wives, malters, fervants, &c. How will we prove ourselves to be new creatures, if we be still just fuch as we were before, in our feveral relations, 2 Cor. v. 17. "Therefore, if any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature: old things are paffed away; behold all things are become new.". Real godlinefs will gain a teftimony to a man, from the confciences of his nearest relations, tho' they know more of his finful infirmities, than others do, as we fee in that cafe, z Kings iv. 2. Thy fervant, my husband is dead, and thou knoweft that thy fervant did fear the Lord."

[ocr errors]

3. In the way of his following his wordly bufinefs, there is a great change. It appears to be no more his all, as fome time it was. Though faints apply themselves to worldly bufinefs, as well as others; yet their hearts are not swallowed up in it. It is evident they are carrying on a trade with heaven, as well as a trade with earth, Philip. iii. 20. For our converfation is in heaven." And they go about their employment in the world as a duty laid upon them by the Lord of all; doing their lawful bufinefs as the will of God, Ephef. vi. 7. working, because he has faid, "Thou fhalt not steal."

4. They have a fpecial concern for the advancement of the kingdom of Chrift in the world: they efpoule the interests of religion, and prefer Jerufalem above their chief joy," Pfal. cxxxvii. 6. How privately foever they live, grace makes

[ocr errors]

them

66

them a public spirit, which will concern itself in the ark and work of God; in the gofpel of God; and in the people of God, even thefe of them whom they never faw in the face. As children of God, they naturally care for thefe things. They have a new and unwonted concern for the fpiritual good of others. And no fooner do they tafte of the power of grace themselves, but they are inclined to fet up to be agents for Chrift and holinefs in this world; as appears in the cafe of the woman of Samaria, who, when Chrift had manifefted himself to her, went her way into the city, and faith unto the men, come fee a man which told me all things that ever I did: Is not this the Chrift?" John' iv. 28, 29. They have feen and felt the evil of fin, and therefore pity the world lying in wickedness. They would fain pluck the brands out of the fire, remembring that they themselves were plucked out of it. They will labour to commend religion to others, both by word and example; and rather deny themselves their liberty in indifferent things, than by the uncharitable use of it, deftroy others, 1 Cor. viii. 13 "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no fefh while the world ftandeth, left I make my brother to offend."

5. In their ule of lawful comforts, there is a great change. They reft not in them, as their end; but ufe them as means to help them in their way. They draw their fatisfaction from the higher fprings, even while the lower fprings are running. Thus Hannah having obtained a fon, rejoiced not fo much in the gift, as in the giver, 1 Sam. ii. 1." And Hannah prayed, and faid, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord." Yea, when the comforts of life are gone, they can fubfift, without them, and "rejoice in the Lord, altho' the fig-tree do not bloffom," Hab. iii. 17. 18. Grace teacheth to use the conveniencies of a prefent life paffingly; and to fhew a holy moderation in all things. The heart, which formerly immerfed itself in these things without fear, is now fhy of being over-much pleased with them; and being apprehenfive of danger, ufes them warily as the dogs of Egypt run while they lap their water out of the river Nile, for fear of the Crocodiles that are in it.

LASTLY, This change fhines forth in the man's performance of religious duties. He who lived in the neglect of them, will do fo, no more, if once the grace of God enter into his heart. If a man be new-born, he will defire the fincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. ii. 2. Whenever the prayerlefs perfon gets the fpirit of grace, he will be in him a Spirit of fupplication, Zech. xii. 10. It is as natural for one that is born again, to

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »