Sacr.IIII. ofRegerleration. 22§ he lift: Towhom he willhe manifefts himfelf, fo that all is toIse afcribed to the power ofGods fpirit, not tomans ability. Obf. The workand graceofRegeneration,k rather felt andperceivedbyhim that 0b, hatb it,then that which canbe expreffed,or madeknown to a mansfelfor others,it being awonderful hidden, andfecret (fe. Thewind we feel and perceive in the motions of it ; but theOriginalsof ir, we arc not able exaaly todefcribe : fo it is in this great work : What the wifeman fpeaks about the framing ofthe child , ave arenot able to defcribe bow the bones, andall otherparts of the infant are compo/ed, Eccle(. t t S. which made Davidfay, He wasfearful ly,andwonderfUllymade.The like doth God do about our new birth, Wc are fearfullyand wonderfully madeagain ; fo that the difficulty ro perceive aright ofthis work, may arifópartly from that corruption which isinbred in every one, and partly the unfearchableneffeofthe thing it self; and to this latter Chrifl relateth : fothat heonely who hath the inward power ofit upon hisown foul,can belt difcernofit : and we may fay ofthis grace, as well as that ofthe Gofpel, Eye had;aotfern, orear heard, neither bath itentered into the heartof man, to conceive what the workof gad is herein. For the better difcoveryof this, confider thefe things. Particulars to Firft , That the xnderßanding ofa man it not vilely corrupted withfin,bnt tutu- clear this. rally weakned,fothat it is not able tofindeout natural truth:, mach left fsipernetural. The forms ofthings arehidden to us : Pitting, lambimte,pultene non attingimuo;the fire, the water, a thane, none can have effential definitions of them : we cannot tell wherein the formor effence almoft of any thing confifis, only we defcribe things by their effeéfs, properties, and common accidents, and we havebut the (hell , not thekernel. If then the workof God innaturebe foabftrufe to us , and we know not what to fayof ir, How much rather thework of God in Grace ? Baftl faith, Divert quefiionsmay bemadeabouta veryfly, which noPhilofopherisever able to anfwer,Howmuch rather then in the hiddenoperations of Gods fpirit.? So that althoughit wasNicademue hisfin, that hedidnot know,or believe thenecefïïty of this new birth, yet it was a. natural impotency, rather thenamoral, that he could not tell how this winddidblow upon him. Secondly , Men who havenet thr inwardfenfe ofchi werk epon their heares,may yet beable togive the defcriptionofle. This they haveeitherby learning, or read- ingofbooks, or hear-fay; fo that ifyou ask many, What regeneration is ? They can tell you it is a change of whole man from that flare of corruption we are born in, to theffateof Iiolinefs: or it is therenewingof the image of God in us by degrees, which we have loft : This account they areable togive ; yea, a man may beable by way ofdifpute and fcholerfhip tofay more, anddifpute more about it , then thatman who isregenerated ; fo that manyanOrthodox man isable toprove the neceflityof regeneration , and to clear it in its nature,better then one not fo perfe& : but there is a Theological knowledge , and a praflical experimen- tal knowledge ; no queftion but an unregenerate man, may ina Theologicalway maintain Divine truths better then a regenerate man, that bath not filch abilities : a Godly man dothbelieve, when he is not able to anfwer all thole doubtsand obje- ttions that are madeabout anydefinition of faith,that is ufrally given : and it is obferved that manytimes chofe that have the greateftlearningandparts, do molt difdain the practical plain thingsof regeneration : Sorgtest indoïfi, & rapinai u lam, It was theold fpeechof e4uflins, Ideots andunlearnedmentake the kivgdow efbeaven byveelence, when learnedmen areflaut out. Bradwardin, a great (choler calledD offer Profxndus, the profound Doélor, fpeaks ofhimfelf howoffended he wasat the'readingofPaul,Epiftles, becaufe hehadnot Metep ;yftcnm ingenium Metaphyfrcal head : andwe fee by miferableexperience, what afteecations men havetafpeak,andhear fublime Minifters,and aerial notions,accounting thole things thatmakefor our fpiritual edification, and inward renovation, to be but plain lim- e g plieities,
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