A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this:1 No man can ever see the Kingdom of God,2 except he be borne again, except he be a new creature, a new man, as is plain in Christs words unto Nicodemus. For our new birth, or regeneration, is the necessary passage from Nature to Grace;3 from profaneness, to sincerity: It is that whereby we are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God, from the sinful corruption of our natural birth, and the evil fruits thereof, to serve God in our whole man, both body, soul, and spirit. Now you must conceive, that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortal Seed of the word of God; 4for so it is called, 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth, salvation, and immortality. And you may as well look for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing, without casting any Seed into the furrows, as to look for Grace to grow up ⟨p. 25⟩in your hearts, or to reap the fruit of holiness, everlasting life; except this immortal Seed, the Word of God, be first cast into the furrows and fallow ground of your hearts, and be there received with reverence and attention, nourished with prayer and meditation, and fructify in your lives and conversations. Hence it is, that Gods Word is called,5 The Word of Salvation, Act. 13. 26.6 The Word of Grace, Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life, 7Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation, Rom. 1. 16.8 For there is no power of Grace, or spiritual life, to be had ordinarily upon Earth, or salvation and eternal life to be hoped for in Heaven; except a man be enlightened with the knowledge, and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God. There is no entering into the Kingdom of God, except a man be new borne, except he be first renewed in his spirit, soul, and body: And there is no new birth, without the* immortal Seed, the Word of God. And therefore, without knowledge and direction in the Word of God, no salvation.
A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this:1 No man can ever see the Kingdome of God,2 except he be borne againe, except he be a new creature, a new man, as is plaine in Christs words unto Nicodemus. For our new birth, or regeneration, is the necessarie passage from Nature to Grace;3 from prophanenesse, to sinceritie: It is that whereby wee are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God, from the sinfnll corruption of our naturall birth, and the evill fruits thereof, to serve God in our whole man, both body, soule, and spirit. Now you must conceive, that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortall Seed of the word of God; 4for so it is called, 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth, salvation, and immortalitie. And you may as well looke for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing, without casting any Seed into the furrowes, as to looke for Grace to grow up ⟨p. 25⟩in your hearts, or to reape the fruit of holinesse, everlasting life; except this immortall Seed, the Word of God, be first cast into the furrowes and fallow ground of your hearts, and be there received with reverence and attention, nourished with prayer and meditation, and fructifie in your lives and conversations. Hence it is, that Gods Word is called,5 The Word of Salvation, Act. 13. 26.6 The Word of Grace, Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life, 7Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation, Rom. 1. 16.8 For there is no power of Grace, or spirituall life, to bee had ordinarily upon Earth, or salvation and eternall life to be hoped for in Heaven; except a man be enlightened with the knowledge, and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God. There is no entring into the Kingdome of God, except a man bee new borne, except hee bee first renewed in his spirit, soule, and body: And there is no new birth, without the
- 1Reason 2.
- 2The Word works regeneration; without which, no salvation.The Word workes regeneration; without which, no salvation.
- 3What regeneration is?
- 41 Pet. 1. 23.
- 5Act. 13. 26.
- 6Act. 14. 3.
- 7Phil. 2. 16.
- 8Rom. 1. 16.
- *See Dearing, pag. 325. 1 Cor▪ 4. 15. Jam. 1. 18.See Dearing, pag. 325. 1 Cor▪ 4. 15. Iam. 1. 18.
