of Regeneration. Sácr. IIII ittiAttAtatmktittt SER MONXXXVIII. Laying open the Counterfeitsof a ,nemBirth, JOHN 3.3. tinier( a man beborn again, he cannotfee the Kingdomof Heaven. HAvingin way ofdigretlìonobfervedfome remarkable particulars in this excellent Dialogue between Chrift and Nicodemus. I do now re-affume this Text, whereina new Birth is fo vehemently and indifpenfably affert- ed : And becaufe we have already demonftrated the nature of it; thenext thing to be infilìed upon is the Counterfeit of it, that fo no more any may deceive themfelves, as if they had it, when theyhad it not. For who is there who bath heard the natureof it laid open, and the neceffity of it preffed, doth not be- lieve he bath ir, although the work be fo rare and fupernatural ? for a manwould wonder, whenChrift who is truth it Self, preffeth this upon every man, let him be never fo(elfrighteous and felf-holy, what men thinkof themfèlves ; for cer- tainly either they do not attend to, or believe thefe things, or elfe theymake no ref-lexion upon themfelves, Paying, Am I fuch a man ; or elfe they vainly delude themfe Ives with hopes, concludingthat to be the workofregeneration in them, which indeed is nor. Counterfeits Therefore to undeceive your fouls herein, confider this great work may he Of Rcyencra- .counterfeited id feveral refpeets. There may be much glittering, which yet is tion. . not this true gold; and becaufe our Saviour expreffeth this work metaphori- cally, as a new Birth, we thall in allúfion to that, difcover the falfe wayes thereof. And firft, As in the newBirth the foul, as you heard, brings forth in forrów, there arepangsand groansunutterable ; fomany menmay be in great pain, fear and troubleaboutfone, As ifforne eacellent and beaiatifùl childeof grace were to be born, and yet at laft after all thofe pangs, there come forth fome ugly Toad. Men after thofe troubles and tormentsabout finne, proving as loathfome, and as abominable as before; for menmay be greatlyafflifted in heart for finne, and theMiniftersof Godmay as 'Paul in another cafe, Rejoyce that they have made The Apround of them forrowfull ; They cryout inthe agoniesoftheir foul, We havefinned grit- this lorrows nosily, what fhallWe do that Wenosybefaved? Andyet for all this travail the foul fruitlefnelfe. brings forth nothingbutwinde and emptinefs. r. WhenGods For, r. Menmay be ingreat troubles offoul aboutfnne,. While the apprehenfons jndgcmcnts ofdanger andGods judgements areupon them, but When theft are removed, they pre- are uponthem, fently fettle on their lees again. The Ifraelites are a pregnant inftance for this, but when re- while Gods handwas heavyon them, their fins alfo were an heavy burden, In moved laid elide. . their afféitlion theyfought Goa' early, theygambledandmourned before him, Hofe.7 a4. but their hearts were not ftedfaft; when they had gale, and were delivered; they
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