The Nature and Necej]ity of Regeneration_:, not by his difdain at the very queftioA teftifie how high and how great his Hopei 'arc ? Would not the Drunkard, the .Swtarer~ the prDphane Perfon, and the whole Rab· hle of wicked and ungodly Wretches, fpeak as confidently of their Salvation as if they were Born with fi1rc proofs of Heav.en in their Hands? What are thefe Men t·cgencratc? Or is th.e price of I:feaven fallen, a~d God become willing to part with it upon lower terms than the New..:birth? Art thou Regenerated that hate!t God and Godlinefs, and all thofe tha t bear the leaft refemblance to the Divine Purity 1 Art thou Regertcratcd that makeft an impudent fcoff at the Name, and derideft the v.cry Title that fallen Man.bath unto Happinefs? Is it likely that the New NatUYt Jhould be hid under an Old Life. Regeneration is the ranfacking of the Soul, the_ turning of a Man out of himfelf, tbe crumbliilg to pieces of the old Man, and the new moulding of it into another fha:pe; It is the turning of Stones into Children, and a drawing of the lively Portraiture of Jefus Chrift upon that very Table that before reprcfented only the very Image of the Devil : This mighty change is wrought by Regeneration; Man's partaking_of the Di'Vine Nature is the grcateft change that ever was wrought in Heaven or in Earth, unlefs it wer~ GQ(Fs partaking of the Hutnane Nature. \Vhy now art thou thtts change~? Are all old things dfme an:oay, and ~~,11 things in thee bteom; new! Haft tho.u a new Heart at;d renewed AffeCtions! And doll; tliou ferve God m newnefs ofL1fe and Convcrfat1on? If not, what .haft tliou to do with Hopes of Heaven ? Thou art yet without Chrift, and fa confequently without Hope : Sinners, what is it that you tr.uft to .? Is it your own good Works? This indeed is the common Refuge of thofe that . have feweft good Works to produce; but alas, What confidence canft thou repofe in thefe, when the very P.rayers of the wicked U an abomination unto the Lord? Is it the Merit ofChrift tha:t you rely upOn? Why Chrift: becomes a Saviour to none but tp thcfe in whofe hearts he is firft formed: Is !t fame Oight and general Notions ofGod's Mercy that you truft to? lt is que, God is infinitely merciful though he bath already damned Thoufunds for their Si.ns; and he will remain fqr ever infinitely merciful, When thou alfo art damned amohg theni : 1t is in vain to prefs the Mercy of God to ferve your foolifh hopes againlt that inviolable Truth of his; that bath excluded you out of Heaven ; except you be Born again, you can in no wife tttter into . the Kingdom of God. This is that irreverfiblc Sentence that is written on Heaven Gates, no entring there, but by paffing firft through the New-birth; no Dogs nor Swines muft come into that Holy City; and fi1ch are all unrenewed Perfons; yea, the Scripture c'ills them the Children of the Dwil, S.<Jolm 40. Tt are . o( your Father the Droit. And certainly, that God who hath chafed Devils out of Heaven,. will never adniit any of his rude Off..fpring into it. And therefore let me in the firft place exhort you not to flatter your fclves into Hell and Deftruaion with falfe and deluding hopes of Heaven. 2 . Secondly, Giw no reft either to God, or to your fel'Ves, till this thorough change bt Ur~rtgntl• wro1~ht upon you itJ your Rtgeneration. ,, . r•te !f'ten It is, as you have heard, ofabfolnte neceffity unto Eternal Salvation; and unlefs ~·t~ ~· bt you think that Salvation it felfis not of abfolute neceffity; what can be theReafon ;~';;,~1,_ that you trifle and dally in that which is offo vaft a Concernment? What is it_,-that •yon can plead for your felves? Is it that it is not within the compafs of your power to Regenerate your felves? It is true, but although you cannot form this New Nature in you, why do you not yet do your utmoft to prepare and difpofe your felves to receive it ? Though we are all lamed and crippled by our Fall which we tQok in Adam, yet fi1ch Cripples as we are may notwithftanding make fuift to get into that way by which Chrift ufeth to pafs, and may poffibly be healed by him. It is a fure Rn.Ie, Though Gl)d is not bound to give Gract up?n Mens Endt.wours, Y.et. neithe! is he wont _Jo deny it. Do you expeCt that th1s change, hke that of the furvJvmg Samts at the laft Day,fltould pafs upon you e1er you are aware ofit,in a Moment, in the twinkling of an Eye? It is true, Man,schange of Heart is the greateft Miracle that God works in the Would, but yet he works it in an ordinary way, by our own Endeavours as well as by his own irrefiftiblc and viCtorious Grace; and therefore God calls upon Etek. t8· us, Euk. 18. 3 t. Makt you a mftii h~Art, and a new {pirit, for why will you dit ? Do not i 1 • therefore che:~t your Souls into Eternal Perditjon by fuch lazy Conceits ofyour own we.lknefs and impotency; do·not content your felves with a few yawning drowfie Wifhe!\, cxpcCHng till Divine Grace doth ofits own felf drop down out of Heaven, and of i ts own accord change your Hearts, poffibly before that time you your felves · may irrecoverably drop into Hell ; will you Iofe your Souls for ever only out of a _ wretcbod
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