414 / 504
c.XV.
Reg: not
a
reiterating
of
the
Condition wherein
men
are
borne.
3
58
our
new
birth
is
called
ourRegeneration,
or new generation,
in
allufion to
our naturali
birth,
not
as a
repetition
of
it
neither
is
the
Allufion in refpe&
of
the contrary qualityes wherewith the one,and the other are attended, but
in refpe&
of
the
things themfelves,
in which
regard,
as
they
are not the
fame,
fo
they are
not
contrary
but
diveri.
They
are both births, the one
Natural/
the
other
Spirituall;
Naturali
and Spirituali
in
that
fence are
not
contrary qua-
lityes,
but
diverfe adjuncts;
and
fo
are the two births compared,
r Pet.
I.
23.
Iohn
r.
13.
In
which laft place
Our
Regeneration
is
expreft under
the
fimple
terme of
being,borne,with
difiinetion
to
the naturali birth,
and not the
leaft
intimation
of
the iteration
of
any
birth or
Generation,fubjoyned;
fo
allo
is
it
Tames
r.
18. fo
that hitherto little
progreflè
is
made
by
Mr
Goodwin
towards
his
intendment
whatever it be thus then he
expreffeth it.
48
I
rather(ftith
he)conceive
that
Regeneration which the
scripture mater
appropri-
able
only
unto perfons
living
to
yeares
of
difcretion
,
who
generally
in
the
dayes
of
theiryouth,degenerate from the
innocency
of
their
childhood
&
younger
yeares,anel
corrupt themfelves
l s
with
the principles
6-
wayes
of
the world, relates not
to
the Na-
turall
generation
as
fuch,i
meane,as
naturall,but
unto the
spiritual/
egate
and
con-
dition
of
men
in
re
f
peC
oftheir
Natural/generation and birth, in and
upon
which
they are
ifnot
fimply
FJ'
abfolutely
yef
comparatively,innoeent,harmeles,
free
front
pride and
malice;
and
inrefpeJo
ftheftqualifzcations,in
Grace
and
fay'our
with
God,
upon
the account
of
the death
and
Pufferinge
of
Chrifi
for
-them,
as
we/ball
afterwards
prove.
Here you have the fumme
attic
defigne, and
the
Do/Irine
of
Regenerátiort
cleared from
all
thofe vaine
and
erroneous opinions
,
wherewith it
bath
fo
long been clouded.
It
is,
the returning
of
men
into
the
good
¡fate and
conditi-
on
wherein they are
borne, after
they
havedegenerated into
waies
of
wickecj-
neffe
we
thought
it
had
been
the
quickening
of them,
who
are
by
nature
dead intrcfpaffes
and
f
noes,
their being begotten ágaine
by
the
will
of
God,
the
bellowing
ofa
new
principle
of
Spirit
and
Life upon them
, a
Tranflatiota
from
Death
to
Life,
the
opening
of
blind eyes,making them
who were
dark-
neffe,
to
be
light
in
the
Lord. It
feemes we
have all this while
been
in
the
darke,
and
that
Regeneration indeed ,
is
only
a
returning
to that
condition
from whence
we
thought
it had been
a
delivery;
but
let
us a
little
fee
the De-
monftration
of
this
new notion
of
Regeneration.
Firti,
(he faith) the
Scripture makes
-
it
appropriable
only to
them
who conic to
yeares
of
difcretion.
Sir,your proofe
; we
cannot take your bare word
in a
thing
ofthis
importance.
In
the
place
your
felfe
chofe
to
mention,
as
the
foundation
yod laid
of
the inferences you are nowmaking,
our
Saviour
faies,
tis a
being
borne
of
thefhirit;
Both
the
Scripture make
this
appropriable only
unto
Men
of
difcretion
?
Men
only
of
difcretioh then
can
entermto the
King
-
dome of
God;
for none,
not
fo
borne
of
the
Spirit (ball
enter therein loh.3.
5.
If
none
but
men
ofdifcretion
can
be borne
of
the
Spirit, then infants have
no
o-
ther
birth but
only
that
of
the
flefh;
and
that
which is borne
of
the
fíefb
is
flejb,
Not
capable
of
entring into the
Kingdome
of
heaven; finely you
better
defervethe title
ofduru
pater in
fantum,than
He
to
whom
of
old'twas
given;
perhaps
a grofher
figment
was
never framed
by a man
of
retion.
Secondly,
It
is
true,
Infants
are
comparatively innocent,
in refpe&
of
Atilt-
all
TranfgreJfions
but
equally
nocent
and guilty with
Sinners
of
difcretion,
in
refpe&
of
natural/ irate
and condition.
They
are no
lelle obnoxious
to
that
death,from
whence
our Regeneration
is a
delivery, by the beftowing
of anew
Spirituali life,
than
a
firmer
of
an
hundred
yeares old;
A
returning to
this
condition,
it feemes,is
Regeneration.
&uantun:
eli in
rebus inane!
Thirdly, The
qualifications
of
Infants
not Regenerated,
ar
e
meerely nega-
tive