S E C r. -I I I I. Of Rege»eratio», 2 bilities, wifedom, quick apprehenfrons in thethings of darknefs, matters of fin,and the world ; but in the things ofGod,they areharkblinde : therefore faithour Sa- viour', IfI tellyou earthlythings, andye believe not, how /hadye believe ifZ tellyou ofheavenly ? The fence is, Ifwhen I fpeakof regenerationby earthly fmilitudes, and expref ions obvious to the fenfe, you arenot able co apprehend Chem , How then ifI thould (peak toyou ofheavenly things, in an heavenly manner , without fuch fenfible reprefentations at all ? Obfervation , That men of great Learning , and outward Righteoufneffe ob/ in the World , mayyet be grab ignorant about this great work of Regenera- tion. Before- we lay down the grounds of this ignorance in everynatural man, we may take notice of. fome particulars , as Introdu&ory w the point: as, Eirft , That it is amofi requif:te, yea, necefary thingfor every tMinifler that is to t. Introduao. be oTeacher, andguidof others, to underflandwell, and beinwardly acquaintedwith ry particulars, this Dollrine rifenewbirth. When our Saviour faith,:ífrt thou uTeacher, a Ma- A Minifter fler ofthe people, andkaowef not thofe things ?he fuppofeth it was a great fhame and Wd bae w- reproach tohim a And indeed, feeing the one principal end of the Miniftry is to quainted with beget men anew unto God , how canhe beskilful in that office, which is wholly this Doctrine, unacquainted with the end ofit ? It is true, Shat opinion of the DenatiJls , That an ungodly Mini(ler u never ufedinftrutnentallyto the regenerationofothers, is teje Bed as falfe. 3udas,and thofewho preachedChrilt out ofenvy, might be fervice- able tobring others toChrift , elfe Paul would nothave rejoyced in it, Phil. 1.19. although this it may be is very rare ; and as God in the OldTeftament would have no Mini[ter with any bodily deformity, fo in the New, without any foul- defor- mity; he muff be unblameable : we do not thereforedifpute ofthe polïibilicy,but it is very rare fordead men,to beget living men;for miniflers unexperienced in the life of grace,to revive others:although this be fo,yet it is the auditors duty,asour Savior informethabout theScribes and Phatifees, To hear them as long as theyfit in Aloter cbair;but not to dowhat theydo:for a man to negleltgood doétrin, becaufe ofthe bad pratliceofthe teacher,is as Auftin wel faith, as if a traveller thatTeeth thepoftin thehigh way, that bath an Ranchodireel himon his journey Jhouldnot goforwardbe- castle the pof? that direhleth himdoth not goforward.Bucthough theft things are to; yet it is a wonderfuluncomfortable and deading thing to live under that preaching, which is not difcoveringofa work ofregeneration within: when a Minder fpeaks ofthis great work, as fame bragging menof the remoreft partof the world, which he hash onely by hear.fay,or by books, not byexperience inhis travels. The Mini- (ter muff (peakfrom theheart, elfe he cannot fpeak to the heart ; as they could not give any account of the gifts ofthe Holy Ghoft,whichhad not fo much as heard whether therewasin holyGhoft or no; fo chofe Miniflers arenever able to give direftion, confolation to theGodly in their temptations about this , that know not the power of it in their own hearts. The Scripture calls it , The tongue of the learned, CO be able to ifpeak a ward dofea/an,to the broken and contritein heart , Ifa. 504. This is neceffary learning, more then all humane knowledge, though that alfobe requifite. Secondly , There it es twofold knowledgeof regeneration, theone is meerly lÿecu- a. A twofold lative, and Theoretical?, the other Ñ Prablical and Experimental. A Speculative knowledge of f knowledge, is when a man is convinced in judgement by feveral"arguments and regeneration; reafons, that there is a neceffityof regeneration ; but this knowledge is not like s/tareneoyl, that defcends from the head toother parts,but it onely lodgeth in the brain: Now Mcodemua had notfo much as thisfpeculative knowledge, he had not fo much as an hif'toricalsilent with hisminde,of the necefliry of fuch a fpiritnal change;whereas it was a great wonder,that he who hadread chofepromifes ofthe taking away the heartof flan, and giving an heart offiefh, ofcreating a newheart in, &c. could not eafily beconvinced in this. But lVicodemue cloth not ouely que- E e a Ilion
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