S a c T. III I. OfRegeneration. 111 point, viz. Original fin , they will alto beblinde to the other, viz. Regeneration. Upon this account it is that ofall men, moral men, civil vertuous men , are very remote from , yea oppofite unto this great change : Fortheyofall men are leaf} affefted with theirblots, and fpotted nature ; "they having no aftuall grolle fins to humble themfelves, donot fee that heart-filthinefle, and foul deformity which is upon them. Oh, therefore intreat God to give the fpiricof illumination to fee thy felf, chat thehidden corners ofdarkneffe within thee, maybemanifefted unto thy Pelf. ASocone ground ofthiegraft bhxdenefs,i felf-righteoafnef dndlelf-fulnefs. Ni- a codemtso waspuffed up with that external legalrighteoufneffe, which he conftantly performed, and therefore thought nothing more was requifrce to him. Thus the Pharifees being full oftheir praiers,alms-deeds, and religious Efts , fated their hopes upontheft ; and therefore our Saviour preacheth very futable,thoughorange Doftrine, when he bids themmake all clean within, andthe tree mug be goad, 6e- Jere the fish be good: What isthat but to fay , theirperfons mull be regenerated, before they cando any holyaetion? This (elffulneffe Both not onely crotfe the grace of jollification, as the ?et t, who would ef'ablilh their own righteoufnefs, submitted not to the rightoufnefsof Chri(I; but alto the grace of regeneration ; for that which is accounted alreadywhole, already found,what need is go to the thy. fitian tobe healed ? Thus Laodiceabecaufe the thdughc her Pelfrich, full, andlack. ingof nothing, therefore"berms the more mifera6le andwretched,Rev. ;.r y,Theheart affefted with feltlove, and (elf-righteoufneffe, promifeth nothing but mercy , and bappinetfe co it (elf, will not endure to be found a firmer, ór to have iniquity ditto- vered ; now this Pelf-righteoufnefs is that, whichbeareth up the heart ofevefy un.. regenerate man, otherwife itwere impoffible that under the fpiricusl difcoVery of all his filth and poverty, he fhould ever be able to fit [kill, mien,or fleepbecaufe, of the wrathof God compaffînghim roundabout. Take therefore away this rub- bifh, and then a good buildingmay quickly bereared ; otherwifc here is Lefam principiam,the very principles of a man arecorrupted; and what goodcan we then expel ? Chrife raftout alltheTimbrels, and tJldu/tiatut,er'ehe lnouldraifi the dead; and thus muf' all thy carnal hopesand carnal joyes in thy (elf-righteoufnefs,or in a- nyother Creaturebe thrown our, er'c he will rudethee from this fpiritual death. Oh donot then be prejudiced againft this truth,by thinking in thy heart, IfI yeild my Pelf tobe thus a finner, ifI abhor, and throw away all myrighteoufnefs, I (hall then defpair, I'hall be like one in the lea, without the leaft plank or board to pre ferve my felf: Donot fear this, for thou mull feel thy felt dead, er', thou beeff made alive; thou muff look on thy Pelf as undone, before thou canft be fared. is not theveffel broken into pieces and meltid, er'e it can be newmoulded? Muff not the old house be pulled down,er'e the newone be railed up? Asthè Apofele faith, In matterofrefurrelion,we are loth toper offtbiecorruptible body;wewould fainbit clothed upon ; we wouldhave heaven without dying ; fo we would be newborn without pangs or furrow. Thirdly, Anothergroundof ignorance inthe *ark ofregeneration, is not attend. ing to thej iritualexafinefsandobligationofthelots';forthatBothnotonlyregsire 3a m todo thofe things that aregood, but todo thanRem faith an inwardprinciple ofre- Elitude,anda divine original, thatour heartsand a'fetlions maybe holy therein, atwell ae ourconverfation. Therefore theheart if good, is called the good treafure , out of whichallgoodthingsare toproceed: God is not holy holy in his peovidence,and out- ward adminiferations, but in his nature alto : As when any fin is forbidden in the commandement, the root and caufeofit is much more forbidden ; fo where anho- lyduty is required,the root and caufe of-it is much more commanded ;God there- fore commands thee mimichim ; but bow ? froma renewedbeart;to befurrow. ful for fin ; but how ? from a changed heart; to pray, tohear , but (till from a regeneratedheart. Now mendo not attend to this; thelaw is fpiritual, it reach- ethto the root,aswell as the branch, it looks more then togoodfruit, it will alto E e 3 have
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