An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

We should wonder and rejoice, to see how grace conquers the course of sinful nature. The new man is born to mercy and holiness to grace and glory, as the sparks fly upward. Hence it is said, He that is born of God, cannot commit sin, for the seed of God remaineth in him. As, the spark cannot fly downward, because the heat of fire remains in it: The Apostle affirms it, of himself and his Fellow-labourers in the Gospel, we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, 2 Cor: 13. 8. The possibilities and impossibilities ⟨p. 226⟩of a regenerate man, are directly opposite to those of a natural man: The one cannot sin, the other cannot but sin: the one can do nothing against the truth the other can do nothing for the truth; gracious acts become as natural, as sinful, when nature is changed from sin to grace. What a blessed change is this, that man should do good as readily, as once he did evil; that, he who was borne free to iniquity, should be re-borne free to righteousness, as the spark; fly upward. A godly man is a heavenly spark: He hath a fire in his nature, which carries him upward for ever.

We should wonder and rejoyce, to see how grace conquers the course of sinful nature. The new man is born to mercy and holinesse to grace and glory, as the sparks fly upward. Hence it is said, He that is born of God, cannot commit sin, for the seed of God remaineth in him. As, the sparke cannot flye downward, because the heate of fire remaines in it: The Apostle affirmes it, of himselfe and his Fellow-labourers in the Gospell, we can doe nothing against the truth, but for the truth, 2 Cor: 13. 8. The possibilities and impossibilities ⟨p. 226⟩of a regenerate man, are directly opposite to those of a naturall man: The one cannot sin, the other cannot but sin: the one can doe nothing against the truth the other can doe nothing for the truth; gracious acts become as naturall, as sinfull, when nature is changed from sin to grace. What a blessed change is this, that man should doe good as readily, as once he did evill; that, he who was borne free to iniquity, should be re-borne free to righteousness, as the sparke; flye upward. A godly man is a heavenly sparke: He hath a fire in his nature, which carries him upward for ever.