they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. So that our concurrence and endeavour in the doing of any thing that is good, does not dero

gate from the grace of God, provided that we afcribe the good which we do to the affiftance of divine grace, to which it is incomparably more due, than to our own activity and endeavour. And fo St. Paul does, I laboured abundantly; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

So that the glory of God's grace may be advanced to its due pitch, without afferting that we are merely paffive to the operations of it. God's grace may be abundantly bestowed upon us, and yet we may labour abundantly; God may work in us to will and to do, and yet we may work out our own falvation. I have done with the fecond doctrine, grounded upon this metaphor of a new creature.

SERMON CIX.

Of the nature of regeneration, and its neceffity, in order to juftification and falva.

tion.

GALAT. VI. 15.

For in Chrift Jefus neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion; but a new creature.

The Fourth fermon on this text.

N difcourfing on these words, that which I was laft upon was to fhew, that this metaphor of a

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new creature doth not import what fome would extend it to, and that fo as to found doctrines of great confequence upon the fingle ftrength of this and other like metaphors, viz. fuch doctrines as these three:..

First, That as the creation was by an irrefiftible act of the divine power, fo is this new creation, or the converfion of a sinner.

Secondly, That as creatures were merely paffive in their being made, and contributed nothing at all thereto, no more do we to our conversion and regeneration.

Thirdly, That as the creation was in an inftant, only by the powerful word of God, fo this new creation is in an instant, and' admits of no degrees. The two firft of thefe I have fpoken to, and Thewed, that as they had no neceffary foundation in this and the like metaphors of fcripture, fo they are contrary to reafon and experience, and the plain and conftant tenor of fcripture, which is the rule and measure of Chrift's doctrine. I proceed now to confider the

Third doctrine which is grounded upon this metaphor, namely, that as the creation of the feveral ranks and orders of creatures was in an instant, and effected by the powerful word of God, faying, Let fuch and fuch things be, and immediately they were; fo this new creation is in an inftant, and admits of no fteps and degrees. And this doctrine is nothing elfe but a farther purfuit of the metaphor, and admitting the two former doctrines to be true, and well grounded upon this metaphor, this third doctrine follows well enough from them, for it is agreeable enough, that that which is effected by an irresistible act of omnipotence, without any concurrence or ōperation on our part, fhould be done in an inftant, and all at once. Not that this is neceffary, but that it is reasonable; for why fhould omnipotence use delays, and take time and proceed by degrees in the doing of that, which with the fame ease it can do at once, and in an inftant; efpecially confidering how well this fuits with the other metaphors of fcripture, as well as with this of a new creation, viz, the metaphor of regeneration and refurrection. A child is born at once, and the dead fhall be raised in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

But

But notwithstanding all this plaufible appearance. and confpiracy of metaphors, I fhall fhew that this doctrine of the converfion and regeneration of a fin-. ner being effected in an inftant, and all at once, is not well grounded either upon fcripture or experience. Not but that God can do fo if he pleafeth, and work this change in fome much fooner and quicker than in others; but there is nothing either in fcripture or experience to perfuade us that this is the ufual, much lefs the conftant and unalterable method of God's grace in the converfion of a finner, to bring it about in an inftant, without any fenfible fteps and degrees.

But for the full clearing of this matter, I shall proceed by thefe fteps:

First, I fhall fhew upon what mistaken grounds and principles this doctrine relies, befides the metaphors already mentioned, which I have fhewn to be of no force to prove the thing.

Secondly, I fhall plainly fhew what regeneration is; by which it will appear, that it is not neceffarily effected in an inftant, and at once, but admits of degrees.

Thirdly, That it is evidently fo in experience of the ordinary method of God's grace, both in those who are regenerated by a pious and religious education, and in those who are reclaimed from a vicious courfe of life.

Fourthly, That all this is very confonant and agreeable to what the fcripture plainly and constantTy declares concerning it.

First, I fhall difcover feveral mistakes upon which this doctrine is grounded, befides the metaphors already mentioned, and which I have fhewn to be of no force to prove the thing, viz. That regeneration is in an instant, and admits of no degrees. As,

1. That regeneration and fanctification are not only different expreffions, but do fignify two things really different. But this is a grofs mistake; for regeneration and fanctification are but different expreffions of the felf-fame thing; for regeneration is a metaphor which the fcripture ufeth to exprefs our tranflation and change from one state to another,

from

from a ftate of fin and wickedness, to a state of grace and holinefs, as if we were born over again, and were the children of another father, and from being the children of the Devil, did become the children of God; and fanctification is our being made holy, our being purified and cleanfed from fin and impurity. And hence it is that regeneration and fanctification are attributed to the fame caufes, principal and inftrumental, to the Spirit of God, and to the word of God; we are faid to be born of the Spirit, and to be fanctified by the Holy Ghost; to be begotten of the word of truth, and to be fanctified by the truth, which is the word of God. So that the fcripture fpeaks of them as the fame thing; and they muit needs be fo; for if fanctification be the making of us holy, and regeneration maketh us holy, then regeneration is fanctification.

2. It is faid, that regeneration only fignifies our first entrance into this state, and fanctification our progrefs and continuance in it. But this likewife is a great mistake: For though it be true, that regeneration doth fignify our first entrance into this ftate, yet it is not true, that it only fignifies that; for it is ufed likewife in fcripture to fignify our continuance in that ftate; for Chriftians are faid to be the children of God, and confequently in a regenerate ftate, not only in the inftant of this change, but during their continuance in it. Befides that our firft change is as well called our fanctification as our progrefs, and continuance in a state of holinefs. So that neither in this is there any difference between regeneration and fanctification. They do both of them fignify both our first entrance into an holy state, and our continuance and progrefs in it; though regeneration do more frequently denote the making of this change, and our firft entrance into it.

3. It is said, that one of the main differences between regeneration and fanctification is this, that regeneration is incapable of degrees, and all that are regenerate are equally fo, and one regenerate perfon is not more or lefs regenerate than another; whereas fanctification is a gradual progrefs from one degree

gree of holiness to another, and of them that are truly fanctified and holy, one may be more fanctified and more holy than another. But this likewise is a mere fancy and imagination, without any real ground. For as an unregenerate ftate does plainly admit of degrees, fo likewife doth the regenerate, and for the fame reafon. That an unregenerate state admits of degrees is evident, in that fome unregenerate perfons are more wicked than others, and thereby more the children of wrath, and the Devil, than others, which are the fcripture expreffions concerning the degrees of mens wickednefs and impiety! In like manner, they that are more holy, and more like God, are more the children of God; and to be more a child of God, is furely to be more regenerate, that is, more renewed after the image of God, which confifts in righteoufnefs and true holiness. So that it is a mere precarious affertion, and evidently falfe to affim, that regeneration doth not admit of degrees, and that one is not more regenerate than another.

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4thly and lastly, They ground this conceit upon the doctrine of the fchools, which teach, that in regeneration and converfion all the habits of grace are infufed, fimul & femel, together and at once. confefs I have no regard, much lefs a veneration for the doctrine of the fchools, where it differs from that of the holy fcriptures, which fay not one word of infufed habits, which yet are much talked of in divinity; and to fpeak the truth, thefe words ferve only to obfcure the thing. For to fay, that in converfion the habits of all graces and virtues are infufed together and at once, is to fay, that in an inftant men that were vicious before in feveral kinds, are by an omnipotent act of God's grace, and by a new principle infufed into them, endued with the habits of the contrary graces and virtues, and are as chafte, and temperate, and juft and meek, and humble, as if by the frequent practice of thefe virtues they had become fo. That this may be, and fometimes is, I am fo far from denying, that I believe it to be fo. Some men, by an extraordinary power of VOL. V. God's

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