.,· Th.e Do!lrine if the ··: State f<I'~- .. to tleath,' by that one, a~ well as a thoufan.d:'' So if the·• change go not through the .whole man, · it is ·n-aught. ( 2 .) . '• It is not a change m;gie by human indufl:ry, but by the– mighty power of tire fpirit ,o£God. A man mull be . born - -.[the Spirit, Johniii. j. Acci&ntal'difeafes may bercur- ..: ed by men, but thefe which: a-re- natqral, not with.out a · · mi-racle, John ix. 32. The change o.rought upon men, by-;)· good education,or forced·upon them,by -anatural confcienc'e, · uh'b' it may pafs among men for a fa~ing change~ it is ~ot · fo~; for our nature is corr~pt;- and none but the 'Go(f'of nao ' · 1l:lofre can change it.: ~rho' a ··gardener, ingrafting: a· pear ·· branch into an apple t~ee, Jliay II!ake tbe app·le free bear · pears ; yet the art of:man cann9t change ·the nature .of · the apple tree: fo one may pin a new life to his old heart, ·. 1 but he can never change the ' hear-t . ' SeEond.J, ,_This alfo~~-- · fhews the neceffity ofregeneration~."! t 'fs abfolutely r ecef- . fary in order to falvation, J o!m 'iiL:3 ::. Rxcept · iz man b11 • /;1-rn again, he cannotfoe ·tke;'kingdo:m o.f 'Gatf., No unclean- 'f thinP c~n· enter the new Jerufalnn: ·· but tliou art wholly.-. -– uncl~an, . whil~ in thy· ·natural fiate-. If eyery ·member 'oF . thy body were disjointed:; , each joi:n behovedto be Joofed, _,· ere the members <;ou!d .he fet right again. This is the cafe ' of thy foul; as thou haft heard : and there_fore thou mull: r be ·horn .again:;·, elfe thou {bQit-never fee' heaven, unlefs it. ~ · \)e ,af;~.r off, ;as the ric_hman in hll did·. 1 _ .b~ceive not thy- ' felf: no mercyofGod, no blood of Chrifi, will bring thee-·'.– ta heaven, in ,thy ubtegenerate ·fiate ;· for God wiH never open a fountain ,of mercy, to walh ~way his own bolinefs 1 and truth : nor. did Chrifi fhed his pr,ecious ·biood, to ·bloti -: oot the ·truths of God,' or to overturn God's meafure! about the falvation of Gnners.. Heaven.! What would'. ye do ·there, that are no't , bo-~.n agai~? · Ye that are . ' . Jl.O ways fitting · ·fo r ChriJl.- tl1e head. That wouid ·be a '' ikange ,fight, a holy head, and members rwholly corrupt !:- ' a head full of- treafures "of grace, members wherein are _;· nothing· but treafures of wickednefs ! a bead: obedi.eqt to-···· deatn; and heels kickinJ! · agai nfi heaven ·! Ye· are no_ ·· wavs adapted tp the fociety ab.ove, more than beafls · for converfe with men. Thou .art a hater,· oftrue ·holinefs: · and at the firfi fight of a faint there would cry out/ Hajf.. · t'h ouf~tmd. me; 0 min: en1.my ! Nay. tHe~ r.nrenewed m a-n: \, ;-- ~ - ilr .
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=