Regeneration nota repetition of a former birth. C.XV, tineand that in refpe&ofthe ads of finnei not the habituall feedand root of 359 them; for in them dwells no good; that in refpe&of thefe qualificationsof In- nocency that are in them by nature Antecedent to any Regeneration (all whichare refolved-into a Naturall impotency of perpetrating finne) they are accepted in Grace and favout with God, had been another new notion, had not Pelagius and socinus before you fallen upon it without Faith it is impof f ble topleaf God Heb. I t. 6. And his wrath abides on them that Relieve not. lehn 3. 36. ThatInfants have or may-have Faith, and not beregenera- ted, will fcarcely.be grantedby them who believethe Spirit of Chrift to caufe Regeneration where he is beftowed Tit.3. 5. And all Faith tobethe Fruitofthat Spirit; Gal 5. 26, 27. Farther for the qualifications ofInfants by Nature; howare they brought cleane, from that which is uncleane '? Are theynot conceived in finite and brought font in iniquity ? Or was that Da- vid: hard cafe alone ? Ifthey are borneofthe flefh, and are flefh, if they are uncleane, how come theytobe in that eflate, uponthe account of their Qualifications accepted in the Love and favour ofhim, who is of purer eyes than tobeholdiniquity ? If this be the Do&rine ofRegeneration that M. G. preaches l defire theLord to blefle them that belong untohim , in a delive- rance from attending thereunto. Ofthe Effe&s of the death of Chrift,in re- fpe&ofall children I fhall not now treat;That theyfhould be faved by C hrift not wathedinhis Blond, not fan&ifyed by his Spirit, (which tohe is to be Regenerate,)is another newnotion ofthenew Gofpell. The Countenance which Mr Goodwin would begge to his Do&rine, from that ofour Saviour to his Difciples, Except ye be turnedand become as little Childrenye cannot enter into the Kingdome ofGod; reproving their ambition and worldly thoug its fromwhich they were tobe weaned that they might befitfor that Gofpell ftate& imployment whereunto he calledthem,& where- in they were to ferve him,does no more advantagehim northe caufehe bath undertaken, thanthat other cautionofour Saviour to the fame perfons to be wife asferpents & innocent as Doves, woulddo him that fhould undertake to prove that Chriftiansought tobecomepigeons orfnakes: Thus much then we havelearned of themind of M, G. by this digreffion; r. That noChildren are Regenerate; 2. That they are all acceptedwith God throughChrifl, upon the ac= count ofthe good Qualificationsthat are in them; 3. That Regeneration is a mans returing to the Mate wherein he is borne; And having taken out this Lefton, which we (hallnever learne byheart whiff}we live, we may now pro- ceed. I (hall only adde to themaitre of thebnfinef e inhand,that fo longas a man 4.49 is achild ofGod, hecannot, he heed not to repeat his Regeneration. But. that one who bath been the childofGod,fhould ceafeto hethe childofOod, is fomewhat {"range. How can that be done amongft men ? that he fhould ceafetobe fuch a mans fonne, whowas his fonne? Thofe things that {land inRelation, upon any thing that is paft, and therefore irrevocable, cannot havetheir beings continued, and their Relation diffolved; it is impoffible but that caufe and effe&muff be related one to another; fuch is the relation be- tween Father andSonne; The foundation ofit is an a& pail and irrevocable, and therefore the Relation it felfeis indifloluble; Is it not fo with Cod and his Children; when they once ftand in that Relation , it cannot be difolved. But ofthefe things hitherto. Toproceed with that place ofScripture which I laid as the foundation of 4.50. this difcourfe. Thegenerall wayofLulls dealingwith the foule the bringing forth o ffn»e,whereof there aretwo ads exprefïed, v.14. the oneof drawing away, the other inticing, is to beinfìftedon. Uponthe firJli the perfontempted is
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