The new birth, however in appearance hopefully begun, may be marred two ways. First, Some, like Zarah, Gen. xxxviii 28, 29 are brought to the birth, but go back again. They have sharp convictions for a while: but these go off, and they turn as careless about their salvation, as profane as ever: and usually worse than ever, their last state is worse than their first, Mat. xii. 45. They get awakening grace, but not converting grace; and that goes off by degrees, as the light of the declining day, till it issue in midnight darkness. Secondly Some like Ishmael, come forth too soon; they are born before the time of the promise, Gen xvi. 1, 2. compare Gal. iv. 22. and downward. They take up with a mere law-work, and stay not till the time of the promise of the gospel. They snatch at consolation, not waiting till it be given them; and foolishly draw their comfort […] the law that wounded them. They apply the healing plaster to themselves, before their wound be sufficiently s••rched. The […] that rigorous husband, severely beats them, and throws in […] and vengeance upon their souls: then they fall a reforming […] mourning, promising and vowing, till this ghost be laid; […] they fall asleep again in the arms of the law; but they are […] shake• out of themselves and their own righteousness, not […] forward to Jesus Christ. Lastly, There may be a wond••• […] ⟨p. 132⟩of the affections, in souls that are not at all touched with regenerating grace Where there is no grace, there may, notwithstanding, be a flood of tears as in Esau, who found no place of repentance, tho' he sought it carefully with tears, Heb xii. 17. There may be great flashes of joy; as in the hearers of the word, represented in the parable by the stony ground, who anon with joy receive it, Matth. xiii. 20. There may also be great desire after good things, and great delight in them too; as in these hypocrites described, Isa lviii. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways.—They take delight in approaching unto God. See how high they may sometimes stand, who yet fall away, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6 They may be enlightened, taste of the heavenly gift, be partakers of the holy Ghost, taste the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come Common operations of the divine Spirit, like a land flood, make a strange turning of things up-side-down.
The new birth, however in appearance hopefully begun, may be marred two ways. First, Some, like Zarah, Gen. xxxviii 28, 29 are brought to the birth, but go back again. They have sharp convictions for a while: but these go off, and they turn as careless about their salvation, as profane as ever: and usually worse than ever, their last state is worse than their first, Mat. xii. 45. They get awakening grace, but not converting grace; and that goes off by degrees, as the light of the declining day, till it issue in midnight darkness. Secondly Some like Ishmael, come forth too soon; they are born before the time of the promise, Gen xvi. 1, 2. compare Gal. iv. 22. and downward. They take up with a mere law-work, and stay not till the time of the promise of the gospel. They snatch at consolation, not waiting till it be given them; and foolishly draw their comfort 〈…〉 the law that wounded them. They apply the healing pluster to themselves, before their wound be sufficiently s••rched. The 〈…〉 that rigorous husband, severely beats them, and throws in 〈…〉 and vengeance upon their souls: then they fall a reforming 〈…〉 mourning, promising and vowing, till this ghost be laid; 〈…〉 they fall asleep again in the arms of the law; but they are 〈…〉 shake• out of themselves and their own righteousness, not 〈…〉 forward to Jesus Christ. Lastly, There may be a wond••• 〈…〉 ⟨p. 132⟩of the affections, in souls that are not at all touched with regenerating grace Where there is no grace, there may, notwithstanding, be a flood of tears as in Esau, who found no place of repentance, tho' he sought it carefully with tears, Heb xii. 17. There may be great flashes of joy; as in the hearers of the word, represented in the parable by the stony ground, who anon with joy receive it, Matth. xiii. 20. There may also be great desire after good things, and great delight in them too; as in these hypocrites described, Isa lviii. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways.—They take delight in approaching unto God. See how high they may sometimes stand, who yet fall away,
