Book IV. Chap.2.Sect . 9 great feare and terrour in heart. Be.fides not .only the evil fpiric, but Gods Spirit is for a while a fpirit of bondage, to make every thing as a mig11ty burthen unto us; there are many pretenderi to the grace of God in Chrift, but they can not abide to heare of any p11- ines or pangs in this new birth ; 0 this is legal; but I pray thee tell m.e, doft thou ever. know any. woman bring forth in her fleep or m a dre:1me, Without feelmg any paine ? and how then ~ould the heart of man be. t.h~s · new changed and moulded Without feveral pangs? look as It Ism the natural birth, ther~ are- m~ny pangs and tr~ubles, in_ J?rrowJbalt thou b:ing forth children, fo 1t Is, and muft be mour fpmtual birth, there 1s ufually (I will not fay a!wayes, to fuch or fuch a degree) many pangs and troubles, there's many a throb, and many an hcart,ach ere chrifi: · can be formed in us. 3. When Chrift was borne. there was a difcovery ofmany of the glorious attributes of God; then mercy and truth met together, and righteo11[nejJe and peace f?JfJed each other; then efpecially was a difcovery of the goodneffe, and power, and wifdome and holineffe of God. So when this new birth is, we muft look ~pon it as a glorious difcovery of thofe lovely attributes. A~ I ·. or · his mercy, goodneffe, love; how often is this called his grace-, and the riches of .hii grace ? Chriil:ians ! you that know what the new birth meanes, do you not fay, thegoodneJJe of GodappearJ in this ? furely it was Gods goodneffe to make a world, but this ' is the riches of his goodneffe to create a new heart in you ; when man by his fin was fallen, he might have been thrown away as refufe, fit fuel only for everlafl:ing flames; it might have been with mankinde as it was with devils, in their deluge God did not provide an Arke to fave fo many as eight perfons, not one Angel that fell was the objeCt: of Gods grace; And that God fhould paffe by all ti.:Jofe Angels, and many thoufands of the fonnes of men , and yet that he ' fhould look upon you in your blood, and bid you live, 0 the goodneffe of God! 2. As of the goodneffe, fo in this mew birth there's a difcovery Gal. 6.. 1f ofGods power; and hence it is called a new creatu; e. The very fame poweJ:" that framed the world, is the framer of this new creature ; the work of converGon is fet forth by the work of creation; God only creates man, and God only converts man ; in
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