s Of Ile,g'eirerOhm , 21N tion:' Thus alCotholethat extolthe poster offree- Will bynature, they mua thus far at leaft deny any regeneration, or healing pow.°r of Graceupon the will : yea , all opinions ofPopery, Socinianifm, Arminianifm, do either in whole, or part de- fi:roy this new creature : for fo far as a niai hathpower to prevent Gods grace,or determine it, fo far it works by an innate power, and virtue of its own : Thusal- fo chofe that hold grace onely for the mote eafie doing of that which is good , or that compare a man inhis regeneration to a captive pifuner , that cannot walk becaufe of fetters and clogs uponhim: but let thorn be foiled; then he is able to walk by his own inwardpower ; but filch a man in that cale'is improperly Paid to be born again. Take heed therefore of thole corrupt opinions about Original fin, and free- will,for thcf make regeneration not neceffarv; and men blinded in their judgements with Inch doftrines,cannever pant and breath after that great workupon their own fouls. Seventhly , Thebufying of menr!elver about faperflitiout invented ,aorffip by î men, dotbalfo make a manaltogether ignorant, or not attentive totbio. We may fay toMonks, fryars,Super(litionsperlbns, Are you , or would you be accounted :LfofhrinJfrael, andknow nothing of this ? look on all the popifb devotional books, their heaps of external ceremonies,and in all click things, not a word or manifeUation ofany regeneration. Thus it was alto with the Jaws, and with the Pharifees ; they placed all religion in external addrefles to God, but neveracgaairí- téd themselves with the knowledge of the inward efficacious work ofgrace. The heart of a man is finite; it is not a fpring that can fill two channels; if therefore all the intentionof it run our upon invented wor(lap, it negle_deèh what is more rectíl ry. Hence it is that none are greater enemiesand feorners of this work of God, theh thofe that are molt pertinacious in traditional worfnip. l-k that is bulle wherehe fhonldnot,is alwaies negligent where hemight not to be : who bath re- quired thefe things at your hands?taiti; Chritlybat where things were retluired,ihere they did nothing at all. Eighthly, Therefore wemen ignorant of thiedoffrine,becanfeth-y feeihemfelvea S. to knock mnprofitable thin1o,fooner then profitable. Ie is a great corruption in our underftanding, that wefeek to finde out thofethings that do nat advantage us , orbenefit us ; but the things of rife and edification, thofe are laid afide. The Apo - ftle blamed this in the Corinthtant, thereforeha fheweth , That knod+led5e pa; f eh tap: and he that isproud about his knowledge, he knoweth nothing as he ought toknow : Oh, what an unhappy inftance arcour dales of this wilde immature knowledge? How many difputes about this and the other controverfie? Into What parties and lefts are we divided by the pride of knowledge? Whereas now if we diddelre tofiudy, difccnrle, confer, and meditate one thole things hat tend to regeneration, tomortification, to make asnew creatures, this would toe to fame purpofe: You fee the ApoilleProd, mattered not Jewor Gentile, Circaat- ciGon or ur.cineumcifion, but a new creature,CÇa1. 6. T. Thus fhould we be aff.&- ed : lead cot me into labyrinths ofdifputes ; elevate not my uuderfandi:ag with lublimartd notions , but inftruetme how to be a new creatures what will Philu- fophical knowledge avail to unierltand the nature ofhearbs,and plantsywhn thou knowe(1 not this divine nature? What will skill in Phyfick advantage' thee, to be able tomake found bodies, and recover out ofmortal difeafes, if thy foul be not healed ofhit Uifafes ? What to underhand the law of man, and to dire about Putchafes, and Evidences, and Affurantes ofEstes, but knowelt no affurance of a spiritual efface? Yea) inDivinity points,to difpdteabout predeftination, univer- fal Grace Church Government , and all theeontroverfies of the times, when thou knowelt not this Doftrine of regeneration ? Bernard faid, He loved not to readTnlly, or any baesaneeriuthar, beta:4 e bedidnot finde the nameof }efua there : Sodonot thou love choredifputes , thofe controverfies, thofe books,where there it not fomething tominds thee Of regeneration: this is to be fought in the first place, Now
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