cure afterwards. He never intends to take this frame of things aşunder any more, but that it shall last for ever; and therefore expect him to be a consuming fire about this work; he is not to be dallied with now he hath such a work as this in his hands; therefore look that you carry it acceptably to him, with reverence and godly fear. He will shew himself to be a consuming fire in the managing the work of his kingdom, and the setting and framing that constitution and state of things which he resolved never should be shaken, but should last always. And the very reason of the thing itself doth require that it should be so: for whatever a man designs for a long continuance, he would be most accurately curious about. That which he intends only for a day, he would be little solicitous how it were composed and framed; whether there were such curiosity and similitude of parts, yea or no; but that which he intends to be a lasting and permanent thing, that he would have to be very exact at first. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Do we think that when the blessed God designed a perpetual and unshaken kingdom, he would take that into the constitution of it, by which it would certainly come to be divided against itself; and be disagreeing to itself, as the image or representation of Nebuchadnezzar, which was part brass, part iron, and part clay? Surely this kingdom must be another kind of constitution, and made better to agree with itself, inasmuch as it is designed to be unchangeable and everlasting.

Thus then you have the second thing demonstrated; the necessity of being born of the Spirit in order to the having place in the kingdom of God. It lies in our way here to reflect, that since there are so many full, clear, cogent, and convictive reasons of this truth, that yet there should be so great unaptness and slowness in the spirits of men, to receive so vast a truth as this. Is it not an amazing thing, that whereas truths of another import, as soon as they appear to be such, are presently received, and without any more ado: and if they are understood to concern us, they are commonly received with suitable affeetions and impressions upon men's minds? If you should tell a man there is an opportunity of an advantageous bargain; if he once comes to believe it to be true, he not only assents to it, but receives it with correspondent impressions on his will, resolutions, and affections; it influences his practice, and he goes and does accordingly. is a thing most amazing, when we consider how express the affirmation is, and how plain and clear the reasons are; and that if once it be acknowledged a truth, it cannot but be acknowledged a most important truth; that yet we so common

It

ly hear of such matters, just as we hear a tale which is told, and as if it were all one to us, whether it were true or false. What would we think necessary to beget an unwavering firm persuasion in our hearts, that such a thing is true? Why certainly the concurrence of testimony and plain reason together, carry as much as our hearts can wish in order to the clearing of whatsoever truth. Here is the express word of the Lord of this kingdom; for it is the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as the kingdom of God; now you will look upon it as the greatest vanity and madness imaginable for any to promise himself an interest and share in the blessedness of that kingdom, against the express word of the Lord of it. Pray, by what right should you come into it, if the Lord and King will not admit you? Or by what power? Where is your right if he deny your right? Where is your power to evade or oppose, if he resist and withstand you? If there were no more in the business, this were enough, he hath spoken it, and ratified it by the seal of his own Amen. Verily, verily I say unto you: I do assever it to you; I assert it to you with all the peremptoriness imaginable. What should become of that man's soul, or what can we think of his persuasion, who is persuaded against the real word of the Lord of this kingdom, that he shall have place in it? The reason of the thing is so convictive and manifest, that nothing can be more. You may as well think of making a composition of light and darkness, fire and water, of the most inconsistent things; as to bring flesh and spirit together into the composition of this kingdom.

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SERMON IV.*

THE

HE truth we have in hand is this ;-That there is a work to be done upon all who partake in the kingdom of God, by which they are to be born spirit of spirit. We have spoken to this doctrinally at large;- the Use of it is now before us. And that which I have first to take notice of, as a reflection which cannot but be of very great and common use, is, that since this is so plain and evident a truth, it is exceeding strange that it should not more commonly and visibly obtain in the belief of those who profess themselves christians. So important a truth believed, could not but infer that, that belief would be visible in the practice; and so evident a truth, one would think, men should not stick to believe. Wherefore there are these two heads, I think might be worth our while to discourse to you -To let you see that it is but too visible this truth is not believed by the generality of professed christians and to shew the unreasonableness of men's disbelief in reference thereunto.

I. I am to shew that this truth is not believed by the generality of those who call themselves christians. And that I may speak more clearly and distinctly, it will be requisite-to tell you what I mean by their not believing this truth; and then-shew you that men do not believe it.

1. What is intended by this charge upon the generality of persons professing Christianity? Here it will be necessary to

* Preached December 26th, 1677. at Cordwainer's Hall.

say something to you,-concerning the object, or truth, which is not believed; and-something concerning the nature of that belief which, we complain, is wanting in reference thereunto.

(1.) Concerning the object, it is requisite you understand that we mean this truth taken entirely and so as to comprehend together, the several things which are contained in it. As for instance,-that there is a change necessary to be wrought in the spirits of men-that this change must be so great and entire upon their spirits as to amount to another birth, or being born of the Spirit-that God hath such a work and design in hand, as the constitution of a new kingdom of obedient and happy subjects; such as shall willingly obey, and gladly and joyfully partake and communicate with him in the glory and blessedness of this kingdom, and that there is no other way of entrance into this kingdom but by being so born and connaturalized thereto. All these things are evidently contained in this doctrine. Now it is constantly acknowledged, when you put some one or other of these things, single to a person, who, it may be, hath never yet admitted a serious thought of it; it is likely he will say, "Yes this is true." But it doth manifestly appear, that he hath never digested the system and frame of such truths, as they lie together, and do amount to this sum. And indeed that is one great fault in the common faith of persons professing Christianity, that it is a partial faith: they believe this and that particular truth, they will tell you, taken asunder from the rest, but consider such and such truths as they are a part in the general system of Christian truths; and so it is most apparent, that they are not received and taken in. And

(2.) Suppose any have never so distinct thoughts and apprehensions of the truths of the gospel; those in particular which this truth sums up; yet the faith of most who profess the Christian name, it is plain is quite another thing, in the nature of it, than what really and truly, we ought to reckon, the belief of the Christian doctrine. I do not intend, when I say, these things are not believed, that men professing Christianity are arrived to an explicit disbelief, or that they reckon themselves unbelievers, or profess infidelity in this matter; or that there is no such thing as a real assent unto such truths as this. But there is not that assent which according to the strictness of the Scripture notion, we ought to put the name of belief upon; that is, they do not take it upon the authority of the great God, as a thing revealed from heaven to them, that it is necessary they undergo such a transforming change, in their own spirits, in order to their having place in this kingdom, this is not received on the authority of God, and so as accordingly to influence their hearts and practice. Which if it doth not do,

it doth nothing; and which if it be not apt to do, it is not that faith, which the Scripture intends.

2. This then is that, which we are to make out, from several considerations. As,

(1.) That the Scripture doth commonly attribute, or gives intimation by which we are taught, to attribute the inefficacy of the gospel doctrine, to men's disbelief of it, or their not believing. As that, passage of the apostle, wherein he quotes the prophet Isaiah Rom. 10. 16. They have not all obeyed the gospel, for Esaias saith, who hath believed our report? They have not all obeyed; and why? Because Isaiah saith, they have not believed. The things which the gospel requires as matter of duty, by the precepts of it, would be comported with, and obeyed, if the truth of them were believed. They are not believed, and how is that demonstrated? Why they are not obeyed. So we are told of the scoffers who would be in the last days; and there is nothing in the days in which we live, more scoffed at, than the Spirit, and this work of the Spirit upon the souls of men; who would walk after their own lusts, saying, Where is the promise of his coming? 2. Pet. 3. 4. Because they do not believe the great things contained in the gospel, therefore they scoff, and therefore they indulge themselves in all ungodliness. We are told, that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes, Rom. 1. 16. Which plainly intimates, that it signifies nothing with them who believe not. With them who believe it is a mighty powerful thing; but with them who believe it not, it effects nothing: there it is weak and impotent. So again we are told by the apostle, 1 Thes. 2. 13. That these Thessalonians when he first came among them, received the word, not as the word of man, but as the word of God, which worketh effectually in them who believe. It hath a most effectual work, where it is believed; and wheresoever therefore it is ineffectual, and there are no suitable impressions, to be found upon men's spirits, there it is manifest, it is not believed. And 2 Thes. 2. 13. We are bound to give thanks to God always for you brethren; for God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and bekef of the truth. Which plainly implies, that the truth wherever it is believed, is accompanied with the sanctifying impressions and influences of the Spirit; and it cannot be understood to be believed, where it is not so.

And

(2.) Consider further, that the nature of the thing itself is such, and so nearly and directly concerns, and tends to influence the practice, that it is not possible it can be truly believ ed, if it is not believed practically. We are to consider a vast difference between such kind of assents, which are conversant