OF REGENERATION. things: (1.) That the word of God thus dispensed by the ministry of the church, is the only ordinary out ward means which the Holy Ghost maketh use of in the regeneration of the adult unto whom it is preached. (2.) That it is every way sufficient in its own kind; that is, as an outward means. For the revelation which is made of God, and his mind thereby, is suffi- cient to teach men all that is needful for them to believe and do, that they may be converted unto God, and yield him the obedience that he requires. Hence two things do ensue. (1.) That the use of those means unto men in the state of sin, if they are not complied withal, is sufficient, on the grounds before laid down, to leave them by whom they are rejected inexcusable; so Ise. v. 5, 4y 5. Prov. xxix. I. 2 Chron. xxxvi. l4, (2.) That the effect of regenerationor conversion un- toGod, is assigned unto the preaching of the word, be- causeof its efficacy thereunto in its own kind and way as the outward means thereof; i Cor. iv. 15. James i. 14. 1 Net. i. 25. Sect. 10.-2dly; We may consider what is the na- ture, and wherein the efficacy of this moral work doth consist. To which purpose we may observe: Sect. 11. -1. That in the use of this means for the conversion of men, there is preparatory unto that where- in this moral persuasion doth consist, an instruction of the mind in the knowledge of the will of God, and its duty towards him. The first regard unto men, in the dispensationof the word unto them, is their darkness and ignorance, whereby they are alienated from the life of God. This therefore is the first end of divine reve- lation; namely, to make known the counsel and will of God unto us; see Matth. iv. 15, 16. Luke iv. 18, 19. Acts xxvi. 17, 18. Acts xx. 20, 21, 26, 27, By the preaching of the law and the gospel, men are instruct- ed in the whole counsel of God, and what he requires of them. And in their apprehension hereof doth the il- lumination of their minds consist, whereofwemust treat distinctly afterwards. Without a supposition of this il- lumination, there is no use of the persuasive power of the word;. for it .consists in affecting the mind with its concernment in the things that it knows, or wherein it is instructed. Wherefore we suppose, in this case, that a man is taught by the word, both the necessityof rege- neration, and what is required of himself thereunto. 177 Sect. I2. -2. On this supposition, that a man is in-. structed in the knowledge of the will of God, as re- vealed in the law and the gospel; there is accompany- ing the word of God in the dispensation of it, a power- ful persuasive efficacy unto a compliance with it, and observance -of in For instance;' suppose a man to be convinced by the word of God of the nature of sin, of his own sinful. condition; of his danger from thence with respect unto the sin of nature, on which account heis a child of wrath, and of his actual sin, which further renders him obnoxious unto the curse of the law, and the indignation of God; of his duty hereon te tor,, 001e God, and the way whereby he may so do; there are in the precepts, exhortations, expostulations, promises and threatenings of the word, especially as dispensed in the ministry of the church, powerful motives to affect, and arguments to prevail with the mind and will of such a man, to endeavour his own regeneration or conversion unto God, rational and cogent above all that can ba objected unto the contrary. On some it is acknowledg- ed, that these things have no effect;. they arenot moved by them, they care not for them, they do despise them, and live and die in rebellion against the light of them,, having their eyes blinded by the God of this world. But this is no argument that they are not powerful in themselves; although indeed it is that they are not so towards us of themselves, but only as the Holy Spirit is pleased toact them towards us. But in these mo- tives, reasons, and arguments, wherebymen are in and from the word, and the ministry of it, urged and press- ed unto conversion to. God, doth this moral persuasion whereofwe speak consist. And theefficacy of it unto the end proposed, ariseth from the things ensuing, which. are all resolved int.(' God himself Sect. 13. (1.) From an evidence of the truth of the things from whence these motives and arguments were. taken. The. foundation of all the efficacy of the dis. pensation of the gospel lies in an evidence, that the things proposed in it are not cunningly devised fables, 2 Pet. i. 16. Where this is not admitted, where it is pot firmly assented unto, there can be no persuasive efficacy in it. But where this is,, namely a prevalent persuasion of the truth of the things proposed, there the . mind is under a disposition unto the things whereunto . it is persuaded., And hereon the whole efficacy of the word in and upon the souls of men is resolved into the
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