TbJ Ref~mMatztl (;'etwixt nqtural andfpirituaf generati?fl ;,. 1I. I come to fhew why this change is called regenera· tion, a being born again. It is fo called, becaufe of the :refemblan·ce betwixt·natural and fpiritu.a}generation 1 which, lies in the fol-lowing particulars • . Fir./!, Natural generation is a myf1erieu3 thing: and fo is fpir~tual generation, John iii. 8 . . The wind b/orweth where it lijleth, and f,~ou bearejl the found thereof, but can'fl no'i tell 'i.uh-ence it cometh, anci:-J.Jhither itl;oeth: fo is tvery one· th.at i-1 born oft/;e Spirit. The worR of tht: Spirit is fdtll. but his way of working is a myfl:e.J:y we cannot.compreher.d. A 'new light is let in to the mind, and"the will is renewed ·; but how that light is conveyed thither,. how the will is fet– tered with cords of love, and how. the rebel is made a wil– ling captive, we C.{O no more tell., than we cao tell, horr.tJ' the b:~ncJ dogt·ow in the ~""J.Jomb o.f her thd iJ with child. Ec ... :x,i. S.r As a man hears· the found of the wind, and', t1nds it Hirring; but kno\VS not where it begins·, and where it ends!: fo is every one t:hat is born- of the Spirit ;" he fi'od.s the chang-.e that is made upon him, &ut how it is produ<:ed he knoweth not.. One thing he may know, that' whereas he· was bli'nd, now he feeth: hut the feed cf grace cloth fprh'!g; and grow up•, he lnoweth not h'or..u~ M•ark iv. 26, 27, SecMd/y, I:n both,. the creatul~e c.omes tooa being it' had not before. The child is not:, 'ti'll he he gene.r·ate; and a' .... man has no gracious bei;ng, n·o hei·ng in. gTace, till he be re– generate.. Regeneration is no·~ fo much •the cu.r.ing of a lick~ mao,. as th-e quickcJJing ofa·dead man, Eph .. ii. I,. 5. Man in his:depraved Hate, is a mere non-entity in grace, and is – brought into <).new o-eing~ by the power of him who ca!leth· things th'Clt' bp not, a1 thoup,h they <:were; bring cre-ated itJ~ Jefus· Chrifl:,.z~nt_o good <v..Jorks, Eph. ii. :o. The~efore o~r Lord Jefus ~& give grot!ll}d ( ) f hope lO the Laodzceam, m t-heir wretched and miferable {late, propofeth: himfelf as th~· begimJing of the creaticn of God; Rev. iii.14.· Name_Iy. the acrive begiooing o,f it; for all things w ere made b)' hmt, atfirff; Joh.ni. 3· F'romwhetrcetheyo;'ightgather, thatfe~i:og he made the·m ~·hen they were n~thing, he could ma.k~· themoveracain,whenworfe tba1\ noth:ng; the fame hand that. b made them. his cre.acu.res,, cQuld make them new: creatures •. · The,rd/y:,
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