They have another nature in them, then what once they had, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Te are made partakers of the divine nature. Every man until his Soul is renewed by the power and grace of the Sanctifying Spirit of God, hath only a corrupt nature in him, but the godly man is become the subject of a divine and holy nature. Therefore he is said to have a new heart given to him, Ezek. 36. 26. And to have a new spirit put within him, ibid. And to be made a new Creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. To be new born 1 Pet. 2. 2. True conversion, implieth not only a marvellous change, as to a mans outward actions, causing him to walk in new ways, which once he was a stranger unto, but as to his nature, and inward disposition and inclinations. Therefore the work of Conversion is oft in the Scripture set forth by such things as intimate a change of nature, e. g. by that of making a wilderness to become a fruitful field, Isai, 32. 15: The nature of the soil is changed, when of barren it doth become fruitful; so is it with the truly converted man. And for the same reason it is said, that instead of the thorn shall come up the fin-tree, and instead of the […] ⟨p. 174⟩shall come up the myrtle tree, Isai. 55. 13. The brier and see myrtle tree, are plants of very differing natures: but when a sinner is converted a brier is turned into a myrtle tree. Yea, then the Lion shall eat straw li•e the Ox. (as the Scripture speaketh) and the Wolf is become like a Lamb, Isai. 11. 6, 7. Now the nature being changed, there must needs follow a change as to the company which such persons will delight to associate themselves with. Every creature chooseth to be with those that are of the same nature and kind. Doves will be with Doves, and not amongst Ravens; sheep will be with sheep, and not amongst swine. So will sincere godly men (who are in the Scripture in respect of the innocency of their nature compared to Doves, and to sheep) choose to be with such as are godly, and not with the wicked, who are resembled unto Ravens and Swine. Inasmuch as a sincere Convert, hath his nature changed, the inward desires and delights of his heart are not as once they were. He delights both in those things, and in those persons which once he had no delight in. As for an unregenerate man, his heart doth not cordially close with one that hath much of the Image of God upon him. The righteous is an abomination to the wicked.
They have another nature in them, then what once they had, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Te are made partakers of the divine nature. Every man until his Soul is renewed by the power and grace of the Sanctifying Spirit of God, hath only a corrupt nature in him, but the godly man is become the subject of a divine and holy nature. Therefore he is said to have a new heart given to him, Ezek. 36. 26. And to have a new spirit put within him, ibid. And to be made a new Creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. To be new born 1 Pet. 2. 2. True conversion, implieth not only a marvellous change, as to a mans outward actions, causing him to walk in new wayes, which once he was a stranger unto, but as to his nature, and inward disposition and inclinations. Therefore the work of Conversion is oft in the Scripture set forth by such things as intimate a change of nature, e. g. by that of making a wilderness to become a fruitful field, Isai, 32. 15: The nature of the soyle is changed, when of barren it doth become fruitful; so is it with the truly converted man. And for the same reason it is said, that instead of the thorn shall come up the fin-tree, and instead of the 〈…〉 ⟨p. 174⟩shall come up the mirtle tree, Isai. 55. 13. The brier and see mirtle tree, are plants of very differing natures: but when a sinner is converted a brier is turned into a mirtle tree. Yea, then the Lion shall eat straw li•e the Ox. (as the Scripture speaketh) and the Wolf is become like a Lamb, Isai. 11. 6, 7. Now the nature being changed, there must needs follow a change as to the company which such persons will delight to associate themselves with. Every creature chuseth to be with those that are of the same nature and kind. Doves will be with Doves, and not amongst Ravens; sheep will be with sheep, and not amongst swine. So will sincere godly men (who are in the Scripture in respect of the innocency of their nature compared to Doves, and to sheep) chuse to be with such as are godly, and not with the wicked, who are resembled unto Ravens and Swine. Inasmuch as a sincere Convert, hath his nature changed, the inward desires and delights of his heart are not as once they were. He delights both in those things, and in those persons which once he had no delight in. As for an unregenerate man, his heart doth not cordially close with one that hath much of the Image of God upon him. The righteous is an abomination to the wicked.
