And the Apostle John sets it forth,1 by the removal and denial of all other causes, John 1.13. We are borne not of flesh nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God: Not of bloods. Not of godly parents; for men may have godly Parents, and yet themselves degenerate, and therefore it is not to be ascribed to parentage, it is not from the parentage, but from the Covenant, and from Gods will in the Covenant, that begets a child of God, nor is it of the will of the flesh; that is, of corrupt nature, nor of the will of man, nor of the best pains that they can take, though they take much pains for us, yet all may be in vain, so as that unless God set in with Christian friends, and with the blood and Covenant of our Ancestors, we shall not be brought on to live a spiritual life in Gods sight. It is that which God himself speaks of in Ezek. 16.6. When we were yet in our blood, yet God said to us live. When we were in our blood, like an infant, gasping for natural life, and ready to perish, even then when none could help us, then God said to us live, and then we lived in his sight. And therefore in a word, you may take this for an evident sign of the true life of grace, where ever you find the work of grace wrought in any soul, you shall find the heart speaking of it, as the work of Gods own hand. Take you a man in the estate of nature, and he will say, God be thanked he had always a good mind, and his parents would never say no less of him, but he was always a toward and hopeful child he thanks God; and thus a man will speak that is only well nurtured, he will say, it is a work that was ever in him, and he ever thought so of himself: But now take another man, that is indeed borne to a new life, and hath this life in him that springs from Christ, he will tell you as Paul was wont to say, Gal. 1.15, 16. When it pleased God to separate me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace. There you shall as in a pattern discern what the manner of the expression of a living soul is, he doth not say it was wrought when he had a good mind to hear such a man, or to take such a course, so it may be ⟨p. 94⟩will flesh and blood say, but when you come to an heart that indeed lives in God sight, he expresseth himself thus: but when it pleased God it was done.
And the Apostle John sets it forth,1 by the removeall and deniall of all other causes, John 1.13. We are borne not of flesh nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God: Not of bloods. Not of godly parents; for men may have godly Parents, and yet themselves degenerate, and therefore it is not to be ascribed to parentage, it is not from the parentage, but from the Covenant, and from Gods will in the Covenant, that begets a child of God, nor is it of the will of the flesh; that is, of corrupt nature, nor of the will of man, nor of the best paines that they can take, though they take much paines for us, yet all may be in vaine, so as that unlesse God set in with Christian friends, and with the blood and Covenant of our Ancestors, we shall not be brought on to live a spirituall life in Gods sight. It is that which God himselfe speakes of in Ezek. 16.6. When wee were yet in our blood, yet God said to us live. When we were in our blood, like an infant, gaspeing for naturall life, and ready to perish, even then when none could helpe us, then God said to us live, and then we lived in his sight. And therefore in a word, you may take this for an evident signe of the true life of grace, where ever you find the worke of grace wrought in any soule, you shall find the heart speaking of it, as the worke of Gods owne hand. Take you a man in the estate of nature, and he will say, God be thanked he had alwayes a good mind, and his parents would never say no lesse of him, but he was alwayes a toward and hopefull child he thanks God; and thus a man will speake that is onely well nurtured, he will say, it is a worke that was ever in him, and he ever thought so of himselfe: But now take another man, that is indeed borne to a new life, and hath this life in him that springs from Christ, he will tell you as Paul was wont to say, Gal. 1.15, 16. When it pleased God to separate me from my mothers wombe, and called me by his grace. There you shal as in a pattern discern what the maner of the expression of a living soul is, he doth not say it was wrought when he had a good mind to hear such a man, or to take such a course, so it may be ⟨p. 94⟩will flesh and blood say, but when you come to an heart that indeed lives in God sight, he expresseth himself thus: but when it pleased God it was done.
- 1Joh. 1.13. opened.Joh. 1.13. opend.
