erfully incites to obedience, even in the most spiritual acts, which lie not within the view of the natural conscience; and powerfully restrains from sin, even from these sins which do not lie open to the observation of the world. It urgeth the sovereign authority of God, to which the heart is now reconciled, and which it willingly acknowledges: and so it engageth the man to his duty, whatever be the hazard from the world; for it fills the heart so with the fear of God, that the force of the fear of man is broken. This hath engaged many to put their life in their hand; and follow the cause of religion they once contemned, and resolutely walk in the path they formerly abhorred. Gal. i. 23, "He which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed." Guilt now makes the conscience to smart. It hath bitter remorse for sins past, which fills the soul with anxiety, sorrow, and self-loathing. And every new reflection on these sins, is apt to affect and make its wounds bleed afresh with regret. It is made tender, in point of sin and duty, for the time to come; being once burnt, it dreads the fire; and fears to break the hedge, where it was formerly bit by the serpent. Finally, The renewed conscience drives the sinner to Jesus Christ, as the only physician that can draw out the sting of guilt; and whose blood alone can purge "the conscience from dead works," Heb. ix. 14, refusing all ease offered to it from any other hand. And this is an evidence that the conscience is not only fired, as it may be in an unregenerate state, but oiled also, with regenerating grace.

FIFTHLY, As the Memory wanted not its share of depravity, it is also bettered by regenerating grace. The Memory is weakened with respect to those things that are not worth their room therein: and men are taught to forget injuries, and drop their resentments; Matth. v. 44, 45, "Do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you, That ye may be (i. e. appear to be) the children of your Father which is in heaven." It is strengthened for spiritual things. We have Solomon's receipt for an ill memory, Prov. iii. 1, "My son, saith he, forget not my law." how shall it be kept in mind? "Let thine heart keep my commandments." Grace makes a heart-memory, even where there is no good head-memory, Psal. cxix. 11, "Thy word have I hid my heart." The heart truly touched with the powerful sweetness of truth, will help the memory to retain what is so relished. Did divine truths make deeper impressions on our hearts, they would thereby impress themselves with more force on our memories, Psal. cxix. 93, "I will never

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forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me." Grace sanctifies the memory. Many have large, but unsanctified memories, which serve only to gather knowledge, whereby to aggravate their condemnation: but the renewed memory serves to "remember his commandments to do them," Psal. ciii. 18. It is a sacred store-house, from whence a Christian is furnished in his way to Zion: for faith and hope are often supplied out of it, in a dark hour. It is the store-house of former experience; and these are the believer's way marks, by noticing of which, he comes to know where he is even in a dark time, Psal. xlii. 6, "O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan," &c. It also helps the soul to godly sorrow and selfloathing, presenting old guilt anew before the conscience: and making it bleed afresh, though the sin be already pardoned, Psal. xxv. 7, "Remember not the sins of my youth." And where unpardoned guilt is lying on the sleeping conscience, it is often employed to bring in a word, which in a moment sets the whole soul a-stir: as when Peter remembered the words of Jesus-"he went out and wept bitterly," Matth. xxvi. 75. The word of God laid up in a sanctified memory, serves a man to resist temptations, puts the sword in his hand against his spiritual enemies, and is a light to direct his steps in the way of religion and righteousness.

SIXTHLY, There is a change made on the body, and the members thereof, in respect of their use: they are consecrated to the Lord. Even the body is for the Lord, 1 Cor. vi. 13. It is the temple of the holy Ghost, ver. 19. The members thereof, that were formerly instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, become instruments of righteousness unto God, Rom. vi. 13. Servants to righteousness unto holiness, ver. 19. The eye that conveyed sinful imaginations into the heart, is under a covenant, Job xxxi. to do so no more; but to serve the soul in viewing the works, and reading the word of God. The ear that had often been death's porter to let in sin, is turned to be the gate of life, by which the word of life enters the soul. The tongue that set on fire the whole course of nature, is restored to the office it was designed for by the Creator; namely, to be an instrument of glorifying him, and setting forth his praise. In a word, the whole man is for God, in soul and body, which, by this blessed change, are made his.

LASTLY, This gracious change shines forth in the conversation. Even the outward man is renewed. A new heart makes newness of life. When the King's daughter is all-glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold, Psal. xlv. 13. The

single eye makes the whole body full of light, Matth. vi. 22. This change will appear in every part of one's conversation, particularly in these following things.

1. In the change of his company. Though sometimes he despised the company of the saints, now they are the excellent, in whom is all his delight, Psal. xvi. 3, "I am a companion of all that fear thee," saith the royal Psalmist, Psal. cxix. 63. A renewed man joins himself with the saints: for he and they are like-minded, in that which is their main work and business; they have all one new nature; they are travelling to IMMANUEL's land, converse together in the language of Canaan. In vain do men pretend to religion, while ungodly company is their choice: for, "A companion of fools shall be destroyed," Prov. xiii. 20. Religion will make man shy of throwing himself into an ungodly family, or any unnecessary familiarity with wicked men: as one that is clean will beware of going into an infected house.

Grace

2. In his relative capacity, he will be a new man. makes meng racious in their several relations, and natively leads them to the conscientious performance of relative duties. It does not only make good men, and good women, but, makes good subjects, good husbands, good wives, children, servants, and, in a word, good relatives in the church commonwealth and family. It is a just exception made against the religion of many, namely, that they are bad relatives, they are ill husbands, wives, masters, servants, &c. How will we prove ourselves to be new creatures, if we be still just such as we were before, in our several relations, 2 Cor. v. 17, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."-Real godliness will gain a testimony to a man, for the consciences of his nearest relations, though they know more of his sinful infirmities, than others do, as we see in that case, 2 Kings iv. 2. "Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord."

3. In the way of his following his worldly business, there is a great change. It appears to be no more his all, as sometime it was. Though saints apply themselves to worldly business, as well as others; yet their hearts are not swallowed up in it. It is evident they are carrying on a trade with heaven, as well as a trade with earth, Philip. iii. 20, 66 For our conversation is in heaven." And they go about their employment in the world as a duty laid upon them by the Lord of all, doing their lawful business as the will of God, Ephes. vi. 7, working, because he has said, "Thou shalt not steal."

4. They have a special concern for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ in the world; they espouse the interests of religion, and "prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy,"— Psal. cxxxvii. 6. How privately soever they live, grace makes them a public spirit, which will concern itself in the ark, and work of God; in the gospel of God; and in the people of God, even those of them whom they never saw in the face. As children of God, they naturally care for these things. They have a new and unwonted concern for the spiritual good of others. And no sooner do they taste of the power of grace themselves, but they are inclined to set up to be agents for Christ and holiness in the world; as appears in the case of the woman of Samaria, who, when Christ had manifested himself to her, "went her way into the city, and saith unto the men, come, see a man that told me all things that ever I did: Is not this the Christ?" John iv. 28, 29. They have seen and felt the evil of sin, and therefore pity the world lying in wickedness. They would fain pluck the brands out of the fire, remembering that they themselves were plucked out of it. They will labour to commend religion to others, both by word and example; and rather deny themselves their liberty in indifferent things, than by the uncharitable use of it, destroy others, 1 Cor. viii. 13, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

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5. In their use of lawful comforts, there is a great change. They rest not in them, as their end; but use them as means to help them in their way. They draw their satisfaction from the higher springs, even while the lower springs are running. Thus Hannah having obtained a son, rejoiced not so much in the gift, as in the giver, 1 Sam. ii. 1, And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord." Yea, when the comforts of life are gone, they can subsist without them, and "rejoice in the Lord, although the fig-tree do not blossom," Hab. iii. 17, 18. Grace teacheth to use the conveniences of a present life passingly; and to show a holy moderation in all things. The heart, which formerly immersed itself in these thngs without fear, is now shy of being overmuch pleased with them; and being apprehensive of danger, uses them warily: as the dogs of Egypt run while they lap their water out of the river Nile, for fear of the Crocodiles that are in it.

LASTLY, This change shines forth in the man's performance of religious duties. He who lived in the neglect of them, will do so no more, if once the grace of God enter into his

heart. If a man be new born, he will desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. ii. 2. Whenever the prayerless person gets the spirit of grace, he will be in him a spirit of supplication, Zech. xii. 20. It is as natural for one that is born again to fall a praying, as for the new-born babe to fall a crying, Acts. ix. 11, "Behold, he prayeth." His heart will be a temple for God, and his house a church. His devotion, which before was superficial and formal, is now spiritual and lively: forasmuch as heart and tongue are touched with a live coal from heaven; and he rests not in the mere performing of duties, as careful only to get his task done, but in every duty seeking communion with God in Christ, justly considering them as means appointed of God for that end, and reckoning himself disappointed if he miss of it. Thus far of the nature of regeneration.

The resemblance betwixt Natural and Spiritual Generation.

II. I come to show why this change is called Regeneration, a being born again. It is so called, because of the resemblance betwixt natural and spiritual generation, which lies in the following particulars.

FIRST, Natural generation is a mysterious thing: and so is spiritual generation, John iii. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. The work of the Spirit is felt, but his way of working is a mystery we cannot comprehend. A new light is let into the mind, and the will is renewed; but how that light is conveyed thither, how the will is fettered with cords of love, and how the rebel is made a willing captive, we can no more tell, than we can tell "how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child," Eccles. xi. 5. As a man hears the sound of the wind, and finds it stirring, but knows not where it begins, and where it ends: so is every one that is born of the Spirit; he finds the change that is made upon him, but how it is produced he knoweth not. One thing he may know, that whereas he was blind, now he seeth: but the seed of grace doth "spring and grow up, he knoweth not how," Mark iv. 26, 27.

SECONDLY, In both, the creature comes to a being it had not before. The child is not, till he be generate; and a man has no gracious being, no being in grace, till he be regenerate. Regeneration is not so much the curing of a sick man, as the