gradually diftilled as Dew into my Mind by a Courfe of Years. All must be Babes (x) firft, and have Milk, before they can grow to that Age, which requires ftrong Meat. It is the Effect and Language of Pride, and felf-conceit, as well as the vain Excufe for Lukewarmness and Indolence in Spiritual Concerns, to infift, that the Doctrines of the Gospel ought to be level to every Capacity, and open and obvious to a moderate Degree of Attention and Reflection. Our Mafter has not (y) thus taught, whatever Men may teach. For what End then are thefe Mysteries, and ftrong Meat at all, if no Ufe or Advantage could be derived from them? Nor will the common Plea ferve, that we are not to perplex ourselves about the mystical, or spiritual Ground of the Gospel, but the Works. If fo, three Parts of the Gofpel were wrote in vain. And again, what Believer can pretend to do the Works, without the Spirit of Chrift abiding in them? Now it is granted, that, although ·Chriftians may not comprehend the diftinct Nature of thofe heavenly Powers and Vir

C 2

tues,

(x) I. Cor. iii. 1.

(y) Matt. xiii. 11.

tues, yet they muft poffefs them, or they could not live in the Spirit of the Gospel: A Tree or an Animal might as easily exist without the Light and Air of this World, or without. the Food of the Earth, as Man can be born from above, and not enjoy the Powers of Heaven for his conftant Support and Growth in the Image of his Regenerator, for what Chrift is in Fulnefs, that Man, his Son, is in the Seed and Increase, growing on to the (z) Stature of the Measure of the fame Fulness.-Befides, what Believer can be offended at the clearer Knowledge of thefe divine Mediums and Principles which the Scripture fo fully declares? Real Chriftians are not offended, but rejoyce in that Knowledge, which leads them to feek with more Ardour and Perfeverance thofe Gifts and Powers, which they have Eyes to fee revealed in the Word of God: While the nominal Profeffors, who delight themselves with the (z) Form of Godliness without the Power (and the Form must have fome Shadow of Likeness to the Power, or it could not deceive ;) these are the conftant Enemies, the inflexible Adverfa

(z) II. Tim. iii. 5.

ries

ries to the true Ground of Regeneration, or the Seed of Christ, communicated from him, which must be quickened by his internal and continual Light, the living Sun for all fpiritual Bodies now rifing through his Operation, that we may be clothed with the House from Heaven, and not found naked at Death, without any clothing for Paradife, and therefore caft out into Darkness. They defire to have Life, Immortality, and Righteousness by an Imputation, and not by a real Communication. The Danger and Folly of this Expectation is evidently fhewn in the Interpretation here given, and it is plain alfo in its own Nature: But religious Errors are most stubborn and difficult, efpecially thofe which flatter the World with eafer Terms of Salvation than the Truth will do.

Fourthly, the whole Subject ought to be taken together, and compared in the feveral Parts and Branches of the daily Service; and no Objection ought to be made against fuch a Chain of Evidence, from a few Paffages hard to be underflood. The whole Ministry of the Law throws Light on each preceding Rite, and the Unity of its Defign

is

is built on these two Points, the killing and deftroying of the natural Man, the Man of Adam's Sin, and the renewing of the inner Man, the Seed of Chrift, and feeding him with the fpiritual Flesh and Blood of bis own Begetter. The Ground and Reafon of this Work I have shewn to be this, that it is the divine Subftance for incorruptible Bodies to be formed from, and to be nourished with, till they are perfect. They are called Garments and Clouds in Scripture: A facred Hunger and Thirft is that Mouth, that Magnet and attractive Defire which draws the fpiritual Ffluxes of our Lord's glorious Body into the new Temple and living House rebuilding in Man.

I would, in particular, give this Council to those who may have the Ear to hear this Interpretation, that they decline all Dispute with others who cannot favour this Kind of propbefying. It is enough for them to rejoyce in their new Man, that they have found Chrift in them, the Lord in his Temple within, and that the (a) Spirit itself beareth Witness with their Spirit, that they

(a) Rom. viii, 16.

they are the Children of God, and can cry, abba, Father. Let Men (b) difpute about the Nature of this Witness, till they, to avoid the Danger of Enthufiafm and Fanaticism, run into a worse extreme of explaining it away. Falfe Pretences, which are indeed many, and the great Abuses of this Text, take not away one Tittle of its Truth.

Let not the Reader imagine, that I am fo weak in Understanding as to throw fuch deep Ground of Interpretation before every one. I preach not, as I write, because the greatest Part is to be confidered as Babes. I am fenfible too, how much evil Report is raifed at this Day against the fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration, jo that the Word itfelf can scarce be mentioned, without the Charge, or Sufpicion of Methodifm or Fanaticifm. It is, however, the Duty of a (c) good Scribe inftructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, to bring out of his Treasury Things new and old; and it is equally the Duty of the Teachers under the Gospel, to give (d) Strong Meat to the Adult, as well as Milk

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(b) Vid. Critici Sacri in Locum. (c) Matt. xiii.

(d) Heb. v. 12, 14.