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II. THE Subjects of Regeneration, who they are, viz. The Elect, only the Elect, and all the Elect, Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate, them he also called, &c. Let their outward Circumstances be what they will, whether bond or free, male or fe∣male, 1 Cor. 12. 13. Gal. 6. 15. Regeneration will reach them all first or last. I prove it thus:
It must be either by Gods Election, or by Man's Election, putting himself by
his own free-will into this state; or by Ac∣cident, no body knows how. I will prove it must be one of these three ways, be∣cause 'tis apparent, that all by Nature are born in an unregenerate state, and that the Devil does carry away the greatest part of mankind into Hell in their unregene∣rate state. These Truths are plainly laid down in Scripture, and are capable of clear demonstration from thence. Since neither of them need any proof, I'le take them both for granted, and I argue thus from them: If all are born in sin, and the great∣est part by far, dye in their sins, Who makes the difference, and from whence does it arise? It must come either from the Eternal Purpose of God electing some and not others, or from man's own choice electing himself, and putting himself into this state, by the power of his own free∣will, so that he is regenerate because he will be so; he will regenerate himself, and change his own nature, and make himself a new creature. The absurdity of this will ap∣pear by and by: or else it is by an unaccount¦able Contingency, no body knows how or why. It cannot be by the two latter ways, Ergo, by the First, viz. Gods Election.
1. It cannot be by man's own free-will; for it can't be supposed that corrupt nature
should ever will its own destruction; the flesh is not so divided against it self; Satan will not cast out Satan; the Devil is more at Unity with himself than so; he would indeed set himself above God, and de∣throne him if possible; as he is, he would be a God, he would have the use of God's Power, that he might abuse it, and play the Devil the more, so far he would be like unto the most High; but he is so much a Devil, such an irreconcilable enemy to all Godliness, that he would not exchange his Devilish Nature, for the Holy Nature of God; and so are all the Children of the Devil, Acts 13. 10. Oh thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness. A natural man would be nothing but what he is; he likes himself too well to part with his own nature; 'tis unreasonable to ima∣gine such a self-destroying inclination in any creature whatsoever; 'tis impossible for any nature to will a change of it self. A Principle of self-preservation runs through the whole Creation of God; the Toad, as full of Poyson as it is, would be a Toad still; so sinful man is as tender of himself, as much in love with himself, as the Holi∣est Angel in Heaven is with himself. Whence should such an actual Will arise in man, as to desire his own Annihilation,
that he may cease to be what he is, and become a new Creature? There must be another Nature put into him before he can desire to be another Man; all do fol∣low the course of Nature, and cannot do otherwise; therefore till nature is changed, the course is and must be the same as ever it was; good inclinations are never found in depraved nature; an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit; figs grow not upon thistles, nor grapes upon thorns. To sup∣pose a man in a state of nature to will his own Conversion, is to suppose him already converted: if the Will be changed, the Man is changed; the Will is the Man. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Jer. 13. 23. they may as soon do this, as one born in sin can cease to live in sin; we must be born again first, for a sinful nature will never carry a man out to a holy Life. Nature is a constant fix∣ed Principle, always keeping within its own sphere; 'tis not a mutable fancy, that may be taken up, or laid down at pleasure. We see all things keep their own shape and form; and 'twould be monstrous, were it otherwise. The whole Creation would be confounded, if things could run one into another, and Metamorphise them∣selves into what different species they
please; the God of Nature has fixed things otherwise; and I am sure none but the God of Grace can alter the corrupt na∣ture of fallen man.
It cannot be by chance, by a fortuitous concourse of I know not what. None but a downright Atheist will resolve it into this; 'tis such a denial of Providence in the chiefest design and contrivance of the Infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God, as no Christian ever can bear. What is Rege∣nerating Grace, but a special Providence towards the Elect, carried on with wonder∣ful Wisdom and Counsel? Where known causes, and special ends may be assigned, there is no room for Chance; we may steadily look from the beginning to the end of such a production, and trace back the effect step by step, to its first original cause. He that is a Christian by chance, not knowing how or why he came to be so, will give but a sorry account of his Faith, and may as suddenly, with more reason, turn Infidel again.
Therefore since Regeneration does not happen by an unaccountable Contingen∣cy, nor can ever be brought about by any mere humane contrivance, what re∣mains, but that we ascribe it, as the Scrip∣ture does, to the Divine Will of him, to
whom all things are possible; beginning at the Eternal Purpose of God in Election, so proceeding downwards through all the methods, ways, and means appointed by God for the carrying on this great work of his in the hearts of men?
The truth is, the first breaking forth of Electing Love upon us, is in our Regene∣ration; 'till something of it appears, we cannot know any thing by all that is be∣fore us, of God's Eternal Love to us: Our actual taking any thing up into our hands, argues a previous choice, that our eye was upon it before. So here, God has from Eternity made choise of some for Salvation, his Eye was upon them from Eternity; and when his Grace takes actual hold of them, we may then, through our present effectual Vocation, see up to our Eternal Election, and by these visible streams, go back to the invisible Fountain of Free-grace in the heart of our Heaven∣ly Father: By what he does in time, we know what he intended from Eternity.
Let none despair of this Grace, who wait upon God for it; all those who have already passed the streights of the new∣birth, were once under as discouraging circumstances as any now can be; but God had mercy on them, and so he may
on thee; he breathed the breath of Spi∣ritual life into them, and so he can and may into thee; he is a God that raises the dead, dead Souls as well as dead Bodies. We may see in the eye-lids of some, the very shadow of Eternal death; but God can turn that shadow into the morning, and cause the day-spring from on high to visit them. Election alters no Man's state, till it issue in Conversion; then you may see your names written in the Book of Life, from a sence and feeling of that life in your selves to which you were fore-ordained. 'Till we are regenerated, we cannot tell whether ever we shall be; God knows, but we do not: The Election shall obtain, Rom. 11. 7. Therefore all that have ob∣tained, must ascribe it to Election, That the purpose of God might stand according to election, Rom. 9. 11.
The cause of this great change that Re∣generation makes, must be resolved either into the Will of God, or Will of the Creature; there is no medium be∣tween God and the Creature; whatever is done, is by one or the other. Some re∣solve Conversion and Regeneration into Man's own power, derived from that ge∣neral sufficient Grace purchased by Christ for all men: But if man in his perfect
state fell under that general sufficient Grace which he was certainly endowed with at his first Creation, How can we now suppose any such general grace to be sufficient to recover fallen Man, and to keep him for ever from a relapse? There∣fore we must place fallen Man under some stronger influence, even that of Effectual Grace, which does not only shew unto Man the way of Salvation by Christ, but effectually draws his heart to an actual closure with Christ, joyning him to the Lord in one spirit. This Effectual Grace in saving some, does no injury to others; they perish justly from the demerits of their own sins; these are saved freely through the merits of Christ. Let us not be too curious in enquiring why God saves one and not another; there is a co∣vering upon the face of this great deep. The ways of God are unsearchable, and his judgments past our finding out; all must be resolved into the Soveraign Will of God: Why should our eye be evil because his is good, who does what he will with his own, and gives no account of his matters? Be∣cause God has purposed from Eternity to shew mercy to some, not telling us who, let every own study his own Salvation, and put in for his share of this Free Grace,
which is offered to all, intended for some; and why not for thee? Those who em∣brace the Promise, and believe in Jesus, will never find any Decree in Heaven a∣gainst them hindering their Salvation; and those who refuse the Promises, will not come to Christ when called, shall never be saved by virtue of any mere Decree.
Faith and Repentance are as much un∣der the decree of God, as Salvation it self; if the Decree of God bring not forth such things in you now as accompany Salva∣tion, 'twill never bring forth Salvation it self. The Doctrine of Election is a com∣fortable Doctrine, if we apply it to the Means as well as to the End: They who deny this Doctrine, and plead so much for Man's Free-will, they do, and must hold a falling from Grace; tho God loves them now, they are not sure to continue in his love, nor never will be, 'till they run up all their hopes into Electing Love. When once they see that God has loved them from everlasting, which they may do, by resolving all the present fruits of the spirit into election, as the Scripture teaches us; they can strongly argue from the un∣changeableness of God, That he who has loved them from everlasting, will love them to everlasting; for whom he so loves, he always loves to the end.
Let me make some use of this Point; there may be some difficulties in it, but I hope God will clear them up to your Souls.
If the Subjects of Regeneration be the Elect, only the Elect, and all the Elect; Then prove your Election by your Regene∣ration; you cannot prove Regeneration by your Election; for bare Election, if you know it, alters no Man's state. Many of the elect of God lie long in an unregene∣rate state: Election is never in Scripture brought in as a proof of Grace in us; but Grace in us is brought in as a proof of our Election.
To prevent mistakes in some convinced, tho yet unconverted sinners, ay, and in some weak trembling Believers too, whose convictions of sin do put them into no small fright: When I say Regeneration is a good proof of your Election, let not any say, Then my unregenerate state is as good a proof of my Reprobation; it does by no means follow, for these Reasons.
1st. Because an unregenerate state, or a state of sin and unregeneracy, has not that dependance upon, or relation to eternal Reprobation, as Regeneration, or a state of Grace has to our eternal Election. A
state of Grace flows from eternal Election; but a state of sin and unregeneracy does not flow from eternal Reprobation, but from the fall of Adam, God permitting it as a means through which his electing love would effectually work for the more glorious restauration of Man. They who are regenerated, are elected, Rom. 8. 29, 30. but those who are not yet regenerated, cannot be said to be not elected or repro∣bated.
2dly. A state of sin and unregeneracy is common to all, both elect and repro∣bates; but a state of Regeneration peculiar only to the Elect. We are all born in sin, all by nature the Children of wrath; all the Saints here on Earth, and all the Saints now in Glory above, were once in an un∣regenerate state.
3dly,. An unregenerate state is alterable; we may pass out of it into a better state; but a state of Grace is unalterable. We may rise up out of a state of sin, but we cannot fall out of a state of Grace; we may, even in a state of Grace, fall into many particular sins, out of which God will recover us by repentance; but we can never fall quite out of it into Hell.
The Decrees of God are unalterable, and so is a state of Grace flowing directly
from thence; but a state of sin and unbe∣lief is alterable. I speak this to the sup∣port and comfort of all convinced sinners, that none may sink into utter despair; because there is yet hope concerning them.
The Scripture does not put us upon proofs of Reprobation, but Election. We are commanded to make that sure. 'Tis true, final Unbelief and Despair are the certain consequent of Reprobation; but we must stay till the end come, we can positively determine nothing till then; God calls some at one hour, and some at another hour; till the day of Grace be quite spent, and the last minute of the last hour quite run out. We can conclude no∣thing of any Man's Reprobation.
There are certain Men ordained of old to condemnation,* 1.1 I do not doubt of it: God may, and doth some∣time swear against such and such,* 1.2 totally withdrawing for ever from them; and yet 'tis hard for any man to know this of himself, or any other; for we see some who, in their own judgments, have been left to a total, final despair, have yet been recovered; those who, in their own and others apprehensions, have been under in∣vincible hardness and unbelief of heart,
yet that also has been overcome, and they brought to a better frame and temper. Secret things belong to God: Let us not be too rash in this matter; 'tis enough for a terrified sinner to know the badness of his present state; should he know more, 'twould quite overwhelm him, he would be fit for nothing but Hell. God hides this usually from the wicked'st men upon earth, to see how they will carry it under the means of Grace, that they may be the more inexcusable at last, who lived so long in the view of their danger, and of the only way of escape by Christ, and would not come unto him for Life.
The best way to know your Interest in the decree of Election, is to study your present state well.
You'll say, What are we to understand by the present state of our Souls? And how shall we know what that is?
Answ. The present state of our Souls, lies in the relation we stand in, either to Heaven or Hell; in that capacity we are in, for eternal Salvation, or eternal Dam∣nation, if we should dye this Instant. To know this aright, we must consider how God has stated it; every Man's present state is stated by God in the Word: mark well what his declared judgment is of such
as we are, who live as we live, do as we do, think as we think.—I stand not much upon the judgment of a Man, concerning his everlasting state, unless it fall in with the judgment of God in the Scriptures; many will judge themselves, as their fears or hopes do lead them, without any re∣ference at all to the Word of God. We that are Ministers must join with the Word, whether it be for you or against you. If you come not up to the terms of the Co∣venant, you are cast by the Word, we shall quickly understand your Case; but if you'l make new terms for your selves, and say, If I have not such gifts, such degrees of Grace, such enlargements and sensible comforts; if I still remain under such temptations, such afflictions, I will never believe I am a Child of God; you may say and believe what you please, but I know no Word of God, from one end of the Bible to the other that says as you say. There is no end of these Objections, you'l be sure to hold to your Opinion, you give so much credit to your self, and so little to the Word in that case, that all we say from thence, in answer to your doubts, sig∣nifies nothing; whereas if you grounded your scruple upon any Word of God, we could answer you by some other Word of
equal authority with you, and then we should be heard, and be able to satisfy you, by reconciling Scripture with Scripture, and consequently you to your self.
It may be some fearful Saint, or some secure sinner will object and say, I am not like to understand my present state this way, for I can't believe the Word against my own sense and experience, as I think, to the contrary. Having already spoken to doubting Saints, I'll suppose this Ob∣jection to be made by some secure sinner. I Answer,
Admit this, viz. That you can't Be∣lieve, &c. yet however be persuaded to draw up your case out of the Word, and say, (what you cannot but say, if you mind what you read) If the Word of God be true, I am in a lost state; but I have a better opinion of my condition than so. Could we bring secure sinners thus far, the time may come, and will come, if you belong to God, when his Word will have more weight with you than your own present thoughts and ima∣ginations; and then you'l judge of your selves, as the Word judges, and no other∣wise: What ever your present hopes or fears may be, you'l come over to the
Word, and be of the same mind with that concerning your Eternal state.
Don't say as some generally do, If I am Elected I shall be Regenerated and saved at last; so putting off all from your selves, upon God's Decrees, as if they left no room for your Duty; as if the Decree of Election had no determining influence up∣on your wills, to bring forth what is de∣creed, in a way agreeable to your rational nature, by inclining you to the free use of all means appointed by God in order to your Salvation. Whereas you say, if you are Elected, you shall be Regenerated and Saved, pray follow that thought home, pursue it a little further, bring it to an is∣sue; don't stop in the midst of a thought, in the midst of your reasonings, but come to some conclusion.
If I am elected, I shall be regenerated, &c. But I am not Regenerated, therefore I am at present in a state of wrath, and for ought appears yet in me, I may be in a state of Reprobation. And is this a state to be rested in? Do you make so light of it? Can you eat, and drink, and sleep so securely under it? Methinks your own Hypothesis should lead you whether you will or no, to some consideration of that dreadful conclusion which may follow up∣on
on it, since God has comanded you to make your calling and election sure, and shewed you how you may do it. Since your present Comfort, and future Happi∣ness depends upon the proof of your Election, How should you long to see this sure and infallible evidence of it in your Regeneration!
Iude 4.
Heb. 3. 18.