Human Nature

Reading from the book Human Nature in its Fourfold State by Thomas Boston, Man's Utter Inability to Recover Himself. For when we were without strength, and due time Christ died for the ungodly, Romans 5 6. No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him, John 6 44. We have now had a view of the total corruption of man's nature, and that load of wrath which lies on him, that gulf of misery which he is plunged into in his natural state. But there is one part of his misery that deserves particular consideration, namely, his utter inability to recover himself, the knowledge of which is necessary for the due humiliation of a sinner. What I design here is only to propose a few things in which to convince the unregenerate man of this his inability, that he may see an absolute need of Christ, and of the power of his grace. As a man that has fallen into a pit cannot be supposed to help himself out of it but by one of two ways, either by doing all himself alone, or taking hold of, and improving the help offered him by others, so an unconverted man cannot be supposed to help himself out of his natural state, but either in the way of the law or covenant of works, by doing all himself without Christ, or else in the way of the gospel or covenant of grace, by exerting his own strength to lay hold upon, and to make use of the help offered him by his Savior. But alas, the unconverted man is dead in the pit, and cannot help himself either of these ways. Not the first way, for the first text tells us that when our Lord came to help us, we were without strength, unable to recover ourselves. We were ungodly, therefore under a burden of guilt and wrath, yet without strength, unable to stand under it, and unable to throw it off or get from under it, so that all mankind had undoubtedly perished had not Christ died for the ungodly, and brought help to them who could never have recovered themselves. And when Christ comes and offers help to sinners, cannot they take it? Cannot they improve help when it comes to their hands? No, the second text tells us they cannot. No man can come unto me, and so on. That is, believe in me, John 6 35, except the Father draw him. This is a drawing which enables them to come, who till then could not come, and therefore could not help themselves by improving the help offered. It is a drawing which is always effectual, for it can be no less than hearing and learning of the Father, which whoever partakes of comes to Christ, verse 25. Therefore it is not drawing in the way of mere moral suasion, which may be, yea, and always is, ineffectual, but it is drawing by mighty power, Ephesians 1 19, absolutely necessary for them that have no power in themselves to come and to take hold of the offered help. Hearken then, O unregenerate man, and be convinced, that as thou art in a most miserable state by nature, so thou art utterly unable to recover thyself anyway. Thou art ruined. In what way wilt thou go to recover thyself? Which of the two ways wilt thou choose? Wilt thou try it alone, or wilt thou make use of help? Wilt thou fall on the way of works, or on the way of the gospel? I know very well that thou wilt not so much as try the way of the gospel, till once thou hast found the recovery impracticable in the way of the law. Therefore we shall begin where corrupt nature teaches men to begin, in the way of the law of works. Sinner, I would have thee to believe that thy working will never effect it. Work and do thy best, thou shalt never be able to work thyself out of the state of corruption and wrath. Thou must have Christ, else thou wilt perish eternally. It is only Christ in you can be the hope of glory. But if thou wilt needs try it, then I must lay before thee from the unalterable word of the living God two things which thou must do for thyself. If thou canst do them, it must be yielded that thou art able to recover thyself, but if not, then thou canst do nothing this way for thy recovery. First, if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments, Matthew 19, 17. That is, if thou wilt by doing enter into life, then perfectly keep the ten commands, for the drift of these words is to beat down the pride of the man's heart, and to let him see an absolute need of a savior from the impossibility of keeping the law. The answer is given suitable to the address our Lord checks him for his compliment. Good master, verse 16, telling him there is none good but one that is God, verse 17. As if he had said, you think yourself a good man and me another, but where goodness is spoken of, men and angels may veil their faces before the good God. As to his question, wherein he discovered his legal disposition, Christ does not answer him saying, Believe and thou shalt be saved. That would not have been so seasonable in the case of one who thought he could do well enough for himself, if he but knew what good thing he should do. But suitable to the humor the man was in, he bids him keep the commandments, keep them nicely and accurately as those that watch malefactors in prison, lest any of them escape and their life go for theirs. See then, O unregenerate man, what thou canst do in this matter, for if thou wilt recover thyself in this way, thou must perfectly keep the commandments of God. Number one, thy obedience must be perfect in respect of the principle of it. That is, thy soul, the principle of action, must be perfectly pure and altogether without sin. For the law requires all moral perfection, not only actual but habitual, and so condemns original sin, impurity of nature as well as of actions. Now if thou canst bring this to pass, thou shalt be able to answer that question of Solomon, so as never one of Adam's posterity could yet answer it. Who can say, I have made my heart clean? Proverbs 20 verse 9. But if thou canst not, the very want of this perfection is sin, and so lays thee open to the curse and cuts thee off from life. Yea, it makes all thine actions, even thy best actions, sinful. For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Job 14 4. And dost thou think by sin to help thyself out of sin and misery? Number two, thy obedience must be perfect in all its parts. It must be as broad as the whole law of God. If thou lackest one thing, thou art undone. For the law of God denounces a curse on him that continues not in everything written therein. Galatians 3 10. Thou must give internal and external obedience to the whole law. Keep all the commands in heart and life. If thou breakest any one of them, that will ensure thy ruin. A vain thought or idle word will still shut thee up under the curse. Number three, it must be perfect in respect of degrees, as was the obedience of Adam while he stood in his innocence. This the law requires and will accept of no less. Matthew 22 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. If one degree of that love required by the law be wanting, if each part of thy obedience be not brought up to the greatest height commanded, the want is a breach of the law, and so leaves thee still under the curse. A man may bring as many buckets of water to a house that is on fire as he is able to carry, and yet it may be consumed, and will be so if he bring not as many as will quench the fire. Even so, although thou shouldest do what thou art able in keeping the commands, if thou fail in the least degree of obedience which the law enjoins, thou art certainly ruined for ever, unless thou take hold of Christ, renouncing all thy righteousness as filthy rags. Romans 10 5, Galatians 3 10. Lastly, it must be perpetual, as the man Christ's obedience was, who always did the things which pleased the Father. For the tenor of the law is, Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the law to do them. Hence, though Adam's obedience was for a while absolutely perfect, yet because at length he tripped in one point in eating the forbidden fruit, he fell under the curse of the law. If a man were to live a dutiful subject to his friends till the close of his days, and then conspire against him, he must die for his treason. Even so, though thou shouldest all the time of thy life live in perfect obedience to the law of God, and yet at the hour of death only entertain a vain thought to pronounce an idle word, that idle word or vain thought would blot out all the former righteousness, and ruin thee, namely in this way in which thou art seeking to recover thyself. Now such is the obedience which thou must perform, if thou wouldst recover thyself in the way of the law. But though thou shouldst thus obey, the law stakes thee down in a state of wrath till another demand of it be satisfied, namely, secondly, thou must pay what thou ow'st. It is undeniable thou art a sinner, and whatever thou mayst be in time to come, justice must be satisfied for thy sins already committed. The honor of the law must be maintained for thy suffering and denounced wrath. It may be thou hast changed thy course of life, or art now resolved to do it, and to set about keeping of the commands of God. But what hast thou done, or what wilt thou do with the old debt? Your obedience to God, though it were perfect, is a debt due to him for the time wherein it is performed, and can no more satisfy for former sins than a tenant's paying the current year's rent, can satisfy the landlord for all arrears. Can the paying of new debts acquit a man from old accounts? Nay, deceive not yourselves, ye will find these laid up in store with God, and sealed up among his treasures, Deuteronomy 32.34. It remains then that either thou must bear that wrath, to which for thy sins thou art liable, according to the law, or else thou must acknowledge that thou canst not bear it, and thereupon have recourse to the surety, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me now ask thee, art thou able to satisfy the justice of God? Canst thou pay thy own debt? Surely not, for as he is the infinite God, whom thou hast offended, the punishment being suited to the quality of the offense must be infinite. But thy punishment or sufferings for sin cannot be infinite in value, for thou art a finite creature, therefore they must be infinite in duration or continuance, that is, they must be eternal. And so all thy sufferings in this world are but an earnest of what thou must suffer in the world to come. Now sinner, if thou canst answer these demands thou mayst recover thyself in the way of the law. But art thou not conscious of thy inability to do any of these things, much more to do them all? Yet if thou do not all, thou dost nothing. Turn then, to what course of life thou wilt, thou art still in a state of wrath. Screw up thy obedience to the greatest height thou canst. Suffer what God lays upon thee, yea, add, if thou wilt, to the burden, and walk under all without the least impatience. Yet all this will not satisfy the demands of the law, therefore thou art still a ruined creature. Alas, sinner, what art thou doing, whilst thou strivest to help thyself, but dost not receive and unite with Jesus Christ? Thou art laboring in the fire, wearying thyself for very vanity, laboring to enter into heaven by the door which Adam sinned so boldly, as neither he nor any of his lost posterity can ever enter by it. Dost thou not see the flaming sword of justice keeping thee off from the tree of life? Dost thou not hear the law denouncing a curse on thee for all thou art doing, even for thy obedience, thy prayers, thy tears, thy reformation of life, and so on? Because being under the law's dominion, thy best works are not so good as it requires them to be. Believe it, sirs, if ye live and die out of Christ, without being actually united to him as the second Adam, the life-giving Spirit, and without coming under the covert of his atoning blood, though ye should do the utmost that any man on earth can do, in keeping the commands of God, ye can never see the face of God in peace. If ye should from this moment bid an eternal farewell to this world's joys, and all the affairs thereof, and henceforth busy yourselves with nothing but the salvation of your souls, if ye should go into some wilderness, live upon the grass of the field, and be companions to dragons and owls, if ye should retire to some dark cavern of the earth, and weep there for your sins, until ye have wept yourselves blind, yea, wept out all the moisture of your body, if ye should confess with your tongue, until it cleave to the roof of your mouth, pray till your knees grow hard as horns, fast, till your body become a skeleton, and after all this give it to be burnt, the word is gone out of the Lord's mouth in righteousness, and cannot return, that ye shall perish forever, notwithstanding all this, is not being in Christ. John 14 6 No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Acts 4 12 Neither is there salvation in any other. Mark 16 16 He that believeth not, shall be damned. Objection. But God is a merciful God, and He knows that we are not able to answer to these demands. We hope therefore to be saved, if we do as well as we can, and keep the commands as well as we are able. Answer. 1 Though thou art able to do many things, thou art not able to do one thing right. Thou canst do nothing acceptable to God, being out of Christ. John 15 5 Without me ye can do nothing. An unrenewed man as thou art can do nothing but sin, as we have already proved. Thy best actions are sin, and so they increase thy debt to justice. How can it be expected they should lessen it? 2 Though God should offer to save men, upon condition that they did all they could do, in obedience to His commands, yet we have reason to think that those who should attempt it would never be saved. For where is a man that does as well as he can? Who sees not many false steps he has made, which he might have avoided? There are so many things to be done, so many temptations to carry us out of the road of duty, and our nature is so very apt to be set on fire of hell, that we must surely fail, even in some point, that is within the compass of our natural abilities. 3 Though thou shouldst do all that thou art able to do, in vain dost thou hope to be saved in that way. What word of God is this hope of thine founded on? It is neither founded on law nor gospel. Therefore it is but a delusion. It is not founded on the gospel, for the gospel leads a soul out of itself to Jesus Christ for all, and it establishes the law, Roman 3.31. 4 Whereas this hope of yours cannot be established but on the ruins of the law, which God will magnify and make honorable. Hence it appears that it is not founded on the law neither. 5 When God set Adam a-working for happiness to himself and his posterity, perfect obedience was a condition required of him, and the curse was denounced in the case of disobedience. The law being broken by him, he and his posterity were subjected to the penalty, for sin committed, and withal still bound to perfect obedience. For it is absurd to think that man's sinning and suffering for sin should free him from his duty of obedience to his Creator. When Christ came in the room of the elect to purchase their salvation, the terms were the same. Just as had the elect under arrest, if he his desires to deliver them, the terms are known. He must satisfy for their sin by suffering the punishment due to it. He must do what they cannot do, to wit, obey the law perfectly, and so fulfill all righteousness. Accordingly all this he did, and so became the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans 10.4 And dost thou think that God will obey to these terms as to thee, when his own Son got no abatement of them? Expect it not, though thou shouldst beg it with tears of blood. For if they prevail, they must prevail against the truth, justice, and honor of God. Galatians 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Romans 10.12 And the law is not a faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them. It is true that God is merciful, but cannot he be merciful unless he save you in a way that is neither consistent with his law nor his gospel? Has not his goodness and mercy sufficiently appeared in sending the Son of his love to do what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh? He has provided help for them that cannot help themselves. But thou, insensible of thine own weakness, will need think to recover thyself by thine own works, while thou art no more able to do it than to remove mountains of brass out of their place. Wherefore I conclude that thou art utterly unable to recover thyself in the way of works or by the law. O that thou wouldst conclude the same concerning thyself! Section 2 Let us try next what the sinner can do to recover himself in the way of the gospel. It may be, thou thinkest, that thou canst not do all by thyself alone, yet Jesus Christ, offering thee help, thou canst of thyself embrace it, and use it for thy recovery. But, O sinner, be convinced of thine absolute need of the grace of Christ, for truly there is help offered, but thou canst not accept it. There is a rope cast out to draw shipwrecked sinners to land, but alas! they have no hands to catch hold of it. They are like infants exposed in the open field that must starve, though their food be lying by them, unless one put it in their mouths. To convince natural men of this, let it be considered first, that although Christ is offered in the gospel, yet they cannot believe in Him. Saving faith is the faith of God's elect, the special gift of God to them wrought in them by His Spirit. Salvation is offered to them that will believe in Christ, but how can you believe? John 5.44. It is offered to those that will come to Christ, but no man can come unto Him except a Father draw him. It is offered to them that will look to Him as lifted on the pole of the gospel. Isaiah 45.22. But the natural man is spiritually blind. Revelation 3.17. And as to the things of the Spirit of God, he cannot know them, for they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2.14. Nay, whosoever will, he is welcome, let him come. Revelation 22.17. But there must be a day of power on the sinner before he can be willing. Psalm 110.3. Secondly, man naturally has nothing wherewithal to improve for his recovery, the help brought in by the gospel. He is cast away in a state of wrath and is bound hand and foot, so that he cannot lay hold of the cords of love thrown out to him in the gospel. The most cunning artificer cannot work without tools, neither can the most skillful musician play well on an instrument that is out of tune. How can one believe? How can he repent whose understanding is darkness? Ephesians 5.8. Whose heart is a stony heart, inflexible, insensible? Ezekiel 36.26. Whose affection is wholly disordered and distempered? Who is averse to good and bent to evil? The arms of natural abilities are too short to reach supernatural help, hence those who most excel in them are often most estranged from spiritual things. Matthew 11.25. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent. 3. Man cannot work a saving change on himself, but so changed he must be, else he can neither believe nor repent, nor ever see heaven. No action can be without a suitable principle. Believing, repenting, and the like are the product of the new nature, and can never be produced by the old corrupt nature. Now what can a natural man do in this matter? He must be regenerate, begotten again unto a lively hope. But if the child cannot be active in his own generation, so a man cannot be active but passive only in his own regeneration. The heart is shut against Christ. Man cannot open it. Only God can do it by His grace. Acts 16.14. He is dead in sin. He must be quickened, raised out of his grave. Who can do this but God Himself? Ephesians 2.1-5. Nay, he must be created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Ephesians 2.10. These are works of omnipotency, and can be done by no less a power. Fourthly, man in his depraved state is under an utter inability to do anything truly good as was cleared before at large. How then can he obey the gospel? His nature is a very reverse of the gospel. How can he of himself fall in with that plan of salvation and accept the offered remedy? The corruption of man's nature infallibly includes his utter inability to recover himself in any way, and who so is convinced of the one must needs admit the other, for they stand and fall together. Were all the purchase of Christ offered to the unregenerate man, for one good thought he cannot command it. 2 Corinthians 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves. Were it offered on condition of a good word, yet how can he, ye, being evil, speak good things? Matthew 12.35. Nay, were it left to yourselves to choose what is easiest, Christ Himself tells you, John 15.5. Without Me ye can do nothing. Lastly, the natural man cannot but resist the Lord's offering to help him, yet that resistance is infallibly overcome in the elect by converting grace. Can the stony heart but choose to resist a stroke? There is not only an inability, but an enmity, an obstinacy in man's will by nature. God knows, O natural man, whether thou know'st it or not, that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass. Isaiah 48.4. And cannot be overcome but by him who hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Hence, commonly speaking, there is such hard work in converting of a sinner. Sometimes he seems to be caught in the net of the gospel, yet quickly he slips away again. The hook catches hold of him, but he struggles till getting free of it he goes away with a bleeding wound. When good hopes are conceived of him by those that travel in birth for the forming of Christ in him, there is oft times nothing brought forth but wind. The deceitful heart makes many a shift to avoid a Saviour and cheat the man of eternal happiness. Thus a natural man lies sunk in a state of sin and wrath, utterly unable to recover himself. Objection No. 1. If we be under an utter inability to do anything, how can God require us to do it? Answer. God making man upright, Ecclesiastes 7.29, gave him a power to do everything that he should require of him. This power man lost by his own fault. We were bound to serve God, and do whatever he commanded us, as being his creatures, and also we were under the superadded tie of a covenant for that purpose. Now we, having by our own fault disabled ourselves, shall God lose his right of requiring our task, because we have thrown away the strength he gave us whereby to perform it? Does a creditor know right to require payment of his money, because a debtor has squandered it away and is not able to pay him? Truly, if God can require no more of us than we are able to do, we need no more to save us from wrath, but to make ourselves unable for every duty, and to incapacitate ourselves for serving God any manner of way, as profane men frequently do. And so the deeper a man is plunged in sin, he will be the more secure from wrath. For where God can require no duty of us, we do not sin in omitting it, and where there is no sin, there can be no wrath. As to what may be urged by the unhumbled soul against the putting our stock in Adam's hand, the righteousness of that dispensation was cleared before. But, moreover, the unrenewed man is daily throwing away the very remains of natural abilities, that rational light and strength which are to be found amongst the ruins of mankind. Nay, further, he will not believe his own utter inability to help himself, so that out of his own mouth he must be condemned. Even those who make their natural impotency to good a covert to their sloth, do with others delay the work of turning to God from time to time, and under convictions make large promises of reformation, which afterwards they never regard, and delay their repentance to a death-bed, as if they could help themselves in a moment, which shows them to be far from a due sense of their natural inability, whatever they pretend. Now if God can require of men the duty they are not able to do, He can in justice punish them for their not doing it, notwithstanding their inability. If He has power to exact a debt of obedience, He also has power to cast the insolvent debtor into prison for his not paying it. Further, though unregenerate men have no gracious abilities, yet they want not natural abilities, which nevertheless they will not improve. There are many things that they can do which they do not. They will not do them, and therefore their damnation will be just, nay, all their inability to do good is voluntary. They will not come to Christ, John 5.40. They will not repent, they will die, Ezekiel 18.51. So they will be justly condemned, because they will neither turn to God nor come to Christ, but love their chains better than their liberty, and darkness rather than light, John 3.19. OBJECTION NUMBER TWO Why do you then preach Christ to us, call us to come to Him, to believe, repent, and use a means of salvation? Answer, because it is your duty so to do. It is your duty to accept of Christ as He is offered in the gospel, to repent of your sins, and to be holy in all manner of conversation. These things are commanded you of God, and His command, not your ability, is a measure of your duty. Moreover, these calls and exhortations are the means that God is pleased to make use of for converting His elect, and working grace in their hearts. To them faith cometh by hearing, Romans 10.17, while they are as unable to help themselves as the rest of mankind are. Upon the very grounds may we, at the command of God, who raises the dead, go to their graves, and cry in His name, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light, Ephesians 5.14. And seeing the elect are not to be known and distinguished from others before a conversion, as the sun shines on the blind man's face, and the rain falls on the rocks as well as on the fruitful plains, so we preach Christ to all, and shoot the arrow at a venture which God Himself directs, as He sees meet. Moreover, these calls and exhortations are not altogether in vain, even to those who are not converted by them. Such persons may be convinced, though they be not converted, although they be not sanctified by these means, yet they may be restrained by them from running into that excess of wickedness which otherwise they would arrive at. The means of grace serves, as it were, to embalm many dead souls which are never quickened by them, though they do not restore them to life, yet they keep them from smelling so rank as otherwise they would do. Finally, though you cannot recover yourselves nor take hold of the saving help offered to you in the gospel, yet even by the power of nature you may use the outward and ordinary means in which Christ communicates the benefits of redemption to ruined sinners who are utterly unable to recover themselves out of the state of sin and wrath. You may and can, if you please, do many things that would set you on a fair way for help from the Lord Jesus Christ. You may go so far on as not to be far from the kingdom of God, as the discreet scribe had done, Mark 12, 34. Though it should seem he was destitute of supernatural abilities, though you cannot cure yourselves, yet you may come to the pool, where many such diseased persons as you are have been cured, though you have none to put you into it, yet you may lie at the sight of it. Who knows what the Lord may return and leave a blessing behind him, as in the case of the impotent man recorded in John 5, 5-8. I hope Satan does not chain you to your houses nor stake you down in your fields on the Lord's day, but you are at liberty and can wait at the posts of wisdom's doors, if you will. When you come thither, he does not beat drums at your ears that you cannot hear what is said. There is no force upon you obliging you to apply all you hear to others. You may apply to yourselves what belongs to your state and condition. When you go home, you are not fettered in your houses, where perhaps no religious discourse is to be heard, but you may retire to some separate place, where you can meditate and exercise your consciences with pertinent questions upon what you have heard. You are not possessed with a dumb devil that you cannot get your mouths opened in prayer to God. You are not so driven out of your beds to your worldly business and from your worldly business to your beds again, but you might, if you would, make some prayer to God upon the case of your perishing souls. You may examine yourselves as to the state of your souls and the solemn manners in the presence of God. You may discern that you have no grace and that you are lost and undone without it, and you may cry unto God for it. These things are within the compass of natural abilities and may be practiced where there is no grace. It must aggravate your guilt that you will not be at so much pains about the state and case of your precious souls. If you do not what you can, you will be condemned not only for your want of grace, but for your despising it. Objection 3. But all this is needless, and we are utterly unable to help ourselves out of the state of sin and wrath. Answer. Give not place to that delusion which puts us under what God has joined, namely the use of means in the sense of our own impotency. If ever did the Spirit of God graciously influence your souls, you will become thoroughly sensible of your absolute inability and yet enter upon a vigorous use of means. You will do for yourselves as if you were to do all, and yet overlook all you do as if you had done nothing. Will you do nothing for yourselves because you cannot do all? Lay down no such impious conclusion against your own souls. Do what you can, and it may be, while you are doing what you can for yourselves, God will do for you what you cannot. Understand what thou readest, said Philip to the eunuch. How can I, said he, except some man should guide me? Acts 8 30 31. He could not understand the scripture he read, yet he could read it. He did what he could. He read, and while he was reading, God sent an interpreter. The Israelites were in a great strait at the Red Sea, and how could they help themselves when on the one hand were mountains, and on the other the enemy's garrison, when Pharaoh and his host were behind them in the Red Sea before them? What could they do? Speak unto the children of Israel, said the Lord to Moses, that they go forward. Exodus 14 15. For what end should they go forward? Can they make a passage to themselves through the sea? No, but let them go forward, saith the Lord, though they cannot turn sea to dry land, yet they can go forward to the shore. So they did. And when they did what they could, God did for them what they could not do. Question. Is God promised to convert and save them who in the use of means do what they can towards their own relief? Answer. We may not speak wickedly for God. Natural men, being strangers to the covenant of promise, Ephesians 2 12, have no such promise made to them. Nevertheless, they do not act rationally unless they exert the powers they have and do what they can. For number one, it is possible this course may succeed with them. If you do what you can, it may be God will do for you what you cannot do for yourselves. This is sufficient to determine a man in a matter of the utmost importance, such as this is actually 22. Pray God, if perhaps the thought of my heart may be forgiven me, Joel 2 14, who knoweth if he will return? If success may be, the trial should be. If in a wreck of sea all the sailors and passengers betake themselves each to a broken board for safety, and one of them should see all the rest perish, notwithstanding their utmost endeavors to save themselves, yet the very possibility of escaping by that means would determine that one still do his best with this board. Why then do not you reason with yourselves as the four leopards did who sat at the gate of Samaria, 2 Kings 7 3 and 4? Why do you not say, If we sit still, not doing what we can, we die? Let us put it to a trial. If we be saved, we shall live. If not, we shall but die. 2 It is probable this course may succeed. God is good and merciful. He loves to surprise men with his grace, and is often found of them that sought him not. Isaiah 65 1 If you do this, you are so far in the road of your duty, and you are using the means which the Lord is wont to bless for men's spiritual recovery. You lay yourselves in the way of the great physician, and so it is probable you may be healed. 2 Lydia went with others to the place where the Lord was wont to be made, and the Lord opened her heart. Acts 16 13 and 14 1 You plow and sow, though nobody can tell you for certain that you will get so much as your seed again. You use means for the recovery of your health, though you are not sure they will succeed. In these cases probability determines you, and why not in this also? 2 Importunity, we see, does very much with men. Therefore pray, meditate, desire help of God, be much at the throne of grace, supplicating for grace, and do not faint. 3 Though God regard you not, who in your present state are but one mass of sin, universally depraved and vitiated in all the powers of your soul, yet he may regard prayer, meditation, and the like means of his own appointment, and he may bless them to you. 4 Wherefore, if you will not do what you can, you are not only dead, but you declare yourselves unworthy of eternal life. 5 To conclude, let the saints admire the freedom and power of grace, which came to them in their helpless condition, made their chains fall off, the iron gate to open to them, raised the fallen creatures and brought them out of the state of sin and wrath, wherein they would have laid and perished, had not they been mercifully visited. 6 Let the natural man be sensible of his utter inability to recover himself. Know that thou art without strength, and cannot come to Christ till thou be drawn. Thou art lost, and canst not help thyself. 7 This may shake the foundation of thy hopes, who never saw of thy absolute need of Christ and his grace, but thinkest to shift for thyself by thy civility, morality, drowsy wishes and duties, and by faith and repentance, which is sprung out of thy natural powers, without the power and efficacy of the grace of Christ. 8 O be convinced of thy absolute need of Christ and his overcoming grace. Believe thy utter inability to recover thyself, that so thou mayst be humble, shaken out of thy self-confidence, and lie down in dust and ashes, droning out thy miserable case before the Lord. 9 A proper sense of thy natural impotency, and impotency of depraved human nature, would be a step towards a delivery. From the book Human Nature in its Fourfold State by Thomas Boston Human Nature in its Fourfold State by Thomas Boston State Number Three The State of Grace or Begun Recovery Head Number One On Regeneration Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. 1 Peter 1.23 We proceed now to the state of grace, the state of begun recovery of human nature, into which all that shall partake of eternal happiness are translated, sooner or later, while in this world. It is the result of a gracious change made upon those who shall inherit eternal life, which change may be taken up in these two particulars. Number One In opposition to their natural real state, the state of corruption, there is a change made upon them in regeneration, whereby their nature is changed. Number Two In opposition to their natural relative state, the state of wrath, there is a change made upon them in their union with the Lord Jesus Christ, by which they are placed beyond the reach of condemnation. These therefore, namely, regeneration and union with Christ, are designed to handle as the great and comprehensive changes on a sinner, bringing him into the state of grace. The first of these we have in the text, together with the outward and ordinary means by which it is brought about. The apostle here, to excite the saints to the study of holiness and particularly of brotherly love, puts them in mind of their spiritual originals. He tells them that they were born again in that of incorruptible seed, the word of God. This shows them to be brethren, partakers of the same new nature, which is a root from which holiness and particularly brotherly love springs. We are once born sinners, we must be born again that we may be saints. The simple word signifies to be begotten, and so it may be read in Matthew 11, 11, to be conceived, Matthew 1, 20, and to be born, Matthew 2, 1. Accordingly, the compound word used in the text may be taken in its full latitude, the last idea presupposing the two former. So regeneration is the supernatural real change on the whole man, fitly compared to natural or corporeal generation, as will afterwards appear. The ordinary means of regeneration, called the seed, whereof the new creature is formed, is not corruptible seed. As such, indeed, our bodies are generated. But the spiritual seed of which the new creature is generated is incorruptible, namely, the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. The sound of the word of God passes, even as other sounds do. But the word lasts, lives, abides, in respect of its everlasting effects on all upon whom it operates. The word which by the gospel is preached unto you, verse 25, impregnated by the Spirit of God, is a means of regeneration, and by it are dead sinners raised to life. DOCTRINE O men, in the state of grace are born again. O gracious persons, namely, such as are in a state of favor with God, and endowed with gracious qualities and dispositions, are regenerate persons. In discoursing on the subject I shall show what regeneration is, next, why it is so called, and then apply the doctrine of the nature of regeneration. 1. For the better understanding of the nature of regeneration, take this along with you, in the first place, that as there are false conceptions in nature, so there are also in grace. By these many are deluded, mistaking some partial changes made upon them for this great and thorough change. To remove such mistakes, let these few things be considered. 1. Many call the church their mother, whom God will not own to be his children. 2. My mother's children, that is, false brethren, were angry with me. All that are baptized are not born again. Simon was baptized, yet still in the gull of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, Acts 8, 13-23. 3. Where Christianity is a religion of the country, many are called by the name of Christ, who have no more of him than the name. 4. And no wonder, for the devil has his goats among Christ's sheep, in those places where but few professed the Christian religion, 1 John 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us. 2. Good education is not regeneration. Education may chain up men's lusts, but cannot change their hearts. A wolf is still a ravenous beast, though it be in chains. Joash was very devout during the life of his good tutor Jehoiada, but afterwards he quickly showed what spirit he was of by his sudden apostasy. 2 Chronicles 24 2-18. Good example is of a mighty influence to change the outward man, but that change often goes off when a man changes his company, of which the world affords many sad instances. 3. A turning from open profanity to civility and sobriety falls short of this saving change. Some are for a while very loose, especially in their younger years, but at length they reform and leave their profane courses. Here is a change, yet only such as may be found in men utterly void of the grace of God, and whose righteousness is so far from exceeding, that it does not come up to the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. 4. One may engage in all the outward duties of religion, and yet not be born again. Though lead be cast into various shapes, it remains still but a base metal. Men may escape the pollutions of the world, and yet but be dogs and swine. 2 Peter 2 20-22. All the external acts of religion are within the compass of natural abilities. 5. Yea, hypocrites may have the counterfeit of all the graces of the Spirit. For we read of true holiness, Ephesians 4 23, in faith unfeigned, 1 Timothy 1 5, which shows us that there is a counterfeit holiness in a feigned faith. 5. Men may advance to a great deal of strictness in their own way of religion, and yet be strangers to the new birth. Acts 26 verse 5. After the most straightest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. Nature has its own unsanctified strictness in religion. The Pharisees had so much of it that they looked on Christ as little better than a mere libertine. 6. A man whose conscience has been awakened, and who lives under the felt influence of the covenant of works, what will he not do that is within the compass of natural abilities? It is a truth, though it came out of a hellish mouth, that skin for skin all that a man hath will he give for his life. Job 2 4. 6. A person may have sharp soul exercises and pangs, and yet die in the birth. Many have been in pain, that have but, as it were, brought forth wind. There may be sore pangs and throes of conscience, which turn to nothing at last. Pharaoh and Simon Magus had such convictions as made them desire the prayers of others for them. Judas repented himself, and under tears of conscience gave back his ill-gotten pieces of silver. All is not gold that glitters. Trees may blossom fairly in the spring, on which no fruit is to be found in the harvest. And some have sharp soul exercises, which are nothing but four tastes of hell. 7. The new birth, however, in appearance, hopefully begun, may be marred two ways. First, some, like Zarah, Genesis 38, 28, and 29, are brought to the birth, but go back again. They have sharp convictions for a while, but these go off, and they become as careless about their salvation, and as profane as ever, and usually worse than ever. Their last state is worse than their first, Matthew 12, 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, Genesis 16, 2. Compare Galatians 4, 22, and so on. 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 from the law that wounded them. They apply the healing plaster to themselves, before their wound be sufficiently searched. The law that rigorous husbands severely beats them, and throws in curses and vengeance upon their souls. Then they fall to reforming, praying, mourning, promising, and vowing, till this ghost be laid, which done, they fall asleep again in the arms of the law. But they are never shaken out of themselves in their own righteousness, nor brought forward to Jesus Christ. Lastly, there may be a wonderful moving of the affections and 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, though he sought it carefully with tears. Hebrews 12, 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. Matthew 13, 20. There may also be great desires after good things, and great delight in them too, as in those hypocrites described in Isaiah 58, 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. They take delight in approaching to God. See how high they may sometimes stand, who yet fall away. Hebrews 6, 4-6. 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 upside down. But when they are over, all runs again in the ordinary channel. All these things may be where the sanctifying spirit of Christ never rests upon the soul, but the stony heart still remains. And in that case, these affections cannot but wither, because they have no root. But regeneration is a real thorough change, whereby the man is made a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5, 17. The Lord God makes a creature a new creature, as the goldsmith melts down the vessel of dishonor and makes it a vessel of honor. Man is, in respect of his spiritual state, altogether disjointed by the fall. Every faculty of the soul is, as it were, dislocated. In regeneration, the Lord loosens every joint and sets it right again. Now this change made in regeneration is, number one, a change of qualities or dispositions. It is not a change of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. Vicious qualities are removed, and the contrary dispositions are brought in in their room. The old man is put off, Ephesians 4, 22. The new man put on, verse 22. Man lost none of the rational faculties of the soul by sin. He had an understanding still, but it was darkened. He had still a will, but it was contrary to the will of God. So in regeneration, there is not a new substance created, but new qualities are infused. Light instead of darkness. Righteousness instead of unrighteousness. Number two. It is a supernatural change. He that is born again is born of the Spirit, John 3, verse 5. Great changes may be made by the power of nature, especially when assisted by external revelation. Nature may be so elevated by the common influences of the Spirit that a person may thereby be turned into another man, as Saul was for Samuel 10, 6, who yet never became a new man. But in regeneration, nature itself is changed, and we become partakers of the divine nature, and this must needs be a supernatural change. How can we, that are dead in trespasses and sins, renew ourselves more than a dead man can raise himself out of his grave? Who but the sanctifying Spirit of Christ can form Christ in the soul, changing it into the same image? Who but the Spirit of sanctification can give the new heart? Well, may we say, when we see a man thus changed, this is the finger of God. Number three. It is a change into the likeness of God, 2 Corinthians 3, 18. We, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image. Everything that generates, generates its like. The child bears the image of the parent, and they that are born of God bear God's image. Man, aspiring to be as God, made himself like the devil. In his natural state he resembles the devil, as the child doth his father, John 8, 44. You are of your father the devil. But when this happy change comes, that image of Satan is defaced, and the image of God is restored. Christ himself, who is the brightness of his Father's glory, is a pattern after which the new creature is made, Romans 8, 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Hence he is said to be formed in the regenerate, Galatians 4, 19. Number four. It is a universal change. All things become new, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. It is a blessed leaven that leavens the whole lump, the whole spirit, the soul, and body. Original sin infects the whole man, and regenerating grace, which is to solve, goes as far as a sore. This fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, goodness of the mind, goodness of the will, goodness of the affections, goodness of the whole man. He gets not only a new head, to know religion, or a new tongue to talk of it, but a new heart to love and embrace it in the whole of his conversation. When the Lord opens this loose of grace on the soul's new birthday, the waters run through the whole man to purify and make him fruitful. In those natural changes spoken of before, they are, as it were, pieces of new cloth put into an old garment, a new life sold to an old heart. But the gracious change is a thorough change, a change both of heart and life. Number five. Yet though every part of the man is renewed, there is no part of him perfectly renewed. As an infant has all the parts of a man, but none of them come to a perfect growth, so regeneration brings a perfection of parts to be brought forward in the gradual advances of sanctification. 1 Peter 2 verse 2. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. Although in regeneration there is heavenly light let into the mind, yet there is still some darkness there. Though the will is renewed, it is not perfectly renewed. There is still some of the old inclination to sin remaining, and thus it will be till that which is in part be done away in the light of glory come. Adam was created at his full stature, but they that are born must have their time to grow up. So those that are born again come forth into the new world of grace as newborn babes. Adam being created upright was at the same time perfectly righteous without the least mixture of sinful imperfection. Lastly, nevertheless, it is a lasting change which never goes off. The seed is incorruptible, says the text, and so is the creature that is formed of it. The life given in regeneration, whatever decays it may fall under, can never be utterly lost. His seed remaineth in him who is born of God. 1 John 3 verse 9. Though the branches should be cut down, the root shall abide in the earth, and being watered with the dew of heaven shall sprout again, for the root of the righteous shall not be moved. Proverbs 12 verse 3. But to come to particulars first, in regeneration the mind is savingly enlightened. There is a light let into the understanding, so that they who were sometimes darkness are now light in the Lord. Ephesians 5 verse 8. The beams of the light of life make their way into the dark dungeon of the heart. Then the night is over, and the morning light has come, which will shine more and more unto the perfect day. Now the man is illuminated. 1 In the knowledge of God. He has far other thoughts of God than he ever had before. Hosea 2 verse 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord brings him back to this question, What is God? and catechizes him anew upon that grand point, so that he is made to say, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Job 42 verse 5. The spotless purity of God, his exact justice, his all-sufficiency, and other glorious perfections revealed in his word, are by this new light discovered to the soul with a plainness and certainty, that doth as far exceed the knowledge which it had of these things before. His ocular demonstration exceeds common report, for now he sees what he only heard of before. 2 He is enlightened in the knowledge of sin. He has different thoughts of it than he was wont to have. Formerly his sight could not pierce through the cover Satan laid over it, but now the Spirit of God removes it, wipes off the paint and varnish, so he sees it in its natural colors as a worst of evils, exceedingly sinful. Romans 7 verse 13. Oh, what deformed monsters do formerly beloved lusts appear! Were they right eyes, he would pluck them out. Were they right hands, he would consent to their being cut off. He sees how offensive sin is to God, how destructive it is to the soul, and calls himself a fool for fighting so long against the Lord, and harboring that destroyer as a bosom friend. 3 He is instructed in the knowledge of himself. Regenerating grace brings a prodigal to himself, Luke 15 verse 17, and makes men full of eyes within, knowing every one the plague of his own heart. The mind being savingly enlightened, the man sees how desperately corrupt his nature is, what enmity against God and His holy law has long lodged there, so that his soul loathes itself. No opus sepulcher, no puddle so vile and loathsome in his eyes as himself, Ezekiel 36 verse 31. Then shall you remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight. He is no worse than he was before, but the sun is shining, and so those pollutions are seen, which he could not discern, when there was no dawning in him, as the word is, Isaiah 8 verse 20. Well, as yet there was no breaking of the day of grace with him. 4 He is enlightened in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 1, 23 and 24. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. The truth is, unregenerate men, though capable of preaching Christ, have not properly speaking the knowledge of him, but only an opinion, a good opinion of him, as one has of many controverted points of doctrine, wherein he is far from certainty. As when you meet with a stranger on the road, who behaves himself discreetly, you conceive a good opinion of him, and therefore willingly converse with him. But yet you will not commit your money to him, because, though you have a good opinion of the man, he is a stranger to you. You do not know him. So may they think well of Christ, but they will never commit themselves to him, seeing they know him not. But saving illumination carries a soul beyond opinion to the certain knowledge of Christ and his excellency. 1 Thessalonians 1, 5. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. The light of grace thus discovers the suitableness of the mystery of Christ to the divine perfections and to the sinner's case. Hence a regenerate admire the glorious plan of salvation through Christ crucified, lay their whole weight upon it, and heartily acquiesce therein. For whatever he be to others, he is to them Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. But unrenewed men, not seeing this, are offended in him. They will not venture their souls in that bottom, but betake themselves to the broken boards of their own righteousness. The same light convincingly discovers a superlative worth, a transcendent glory and excellency in Christ, which darken all created excellencies, as the rising sun makes the stars hide their heads. It engages a merchantman to sell all that he hath to buy the one pearl of great price, Matthew 13, 45 and 46, makes a soul heartily content to take Christ for all and instead of all. And a skillful merchant, to whom one offers a pearl of great price for all his petty wares, dares not venture on the bargain. For though he thinks that one pearl may be more worth than all he has, yet he is not sure of it. But when a jeweler comes to him and assures him it is worth double all his wares, he then greedily embraces the bargain and cheerfully parts with all he has for that pearl. Finally, this illumination in the knowledge of Christ convincingly discovers to men a fullness in him sufficient for the supply of all their wants, enough to satisfy the boundless desires of an immortal soul. And they are persuaded that such fullness is in him, and that, in order to be communicated, they depend upon it as a certain truth. And therefore their souls take up their eternal rest in him. 5. The man is instructed in the knowledge of the vanity of the world. Psalm 119, 96 I have seen an end of all perfection. Regenerating grace elevates a soul, translates it into the spiritual world, from whence this earth cannot but appear a little, yea, a very little thing, even as heaven appeared before, while a soul was grovelling in the earth. Grace brings a man into a new world, where this world is reputed but a stage of vanity, and howling wilderness, a valley of tears. God has hung this sign of vanity at the door of all created enjoyments. Yet how do men throng into the house, calling and looking for somewhat that is satisfying, even after it has been a thousand times told them that there is no such thing in it? It is not to be got there. Isaiah 57, 10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, yet sayest thou not, There is no hope. Why are men so foolish? The truth of the matter lies here. They do not see by the light of grace. They do not spiritually discern the sight of vanity. They have often indeed made a rational discovery of it, but can that truly wean the heart from the world? Nay, no more than painted fire can burn off the prisoner's bands. But the light of grace is the light of life, powerful and efficacious. Lastly, to sum up all in one word, in regeneration the mind is enlightened in the knowledge of spiritual things. 1 John 2, 20 Ye have an unction from the Holy One, that is, from Jesus Christ. Revelation 3, 18 It is an allusion to the sanctuary, whence the holy oil was brought to anoint the priests. And ye know all things necessary to salvation. Though men be not but learned, if they are born again, they are spirit-learned. For all such are taught of God. John 6, 45 The Spirit of regeneration teaches them what they knew not before, and what they knew by the ear only, He teaches them over again as by the eye. The light of grace is an overcoming light, determining men to assent to divine truths on the mere testimony of God. It is no easy thing for the mind of man to acquiesce in divine revelation. Many pretend great respect to the Scriptures, whom nevertheless the clear Scripture testimony will not divorce from their preconceived opinions. But this illumination will make men's minds run as willing captives after Christ's chariot wills, which they are ready to allow to drive over and cast down their imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 2 Corinthians 10, 5 It will bring them to receive the kingdom of God as a little child. Mark 10, 15 Who thinks he has sufficient ground to believe anything if his father do but say it is so? Secondly, the will is renewed. The Lord takes away the stony heart and gives a heart of flesh, Ezekiel 36, 26. And so a stone raises up children to Abraham. Regenerating grace is powerful and efficacious and gives the will a new turn. It does not indeed force it, but sweetly yet powerfully draws it, so that his people are willing in the day of his power. Psalm 110, 3 There is heavenly oratory in the mediator's lips to persuade sinners. Psalm 45, 2 Grace is poured into thy lips. There are cords of a man and bands of love in his hands to draw them after him. Hosea 11, 4 Love makes a net for elect souls, which will infallibly catch them and bring them to land. The cords of Christ's love are strong cords, and they need to be so. For every sinner is heavier than a mountain of brass. And Satan, together with the heart itself, draws the contrary way. But love is as strong as death. And the Lord's love to the soul he died for is the strongest love, which acts so powerfully that it must come off victorious. The will is cured of its utter inability to will what is good. While the opening of the prison to them that are bound is proclaimed in the gospel, the Spirit of God comes and opens the prison door, goes to the prisoner, and by the power of his grace makes his chains fall off, breaks the bonds of iniquity wherewith he was held in sin, so that he could neither will nor do anything truly good, brings him forth into a large place, working in him both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2, 13 Then it is that the soul that was fixed to the earth can move heavenward. The withered hand is restored and can be stretched out. Number 2 There is wrought in the will a fixed aversion to evil. In regeneration, a man gets a new spirit put within him. Ezekiel 36, 26 And that spirit lusts against the flesh. Galatians 5, 17 The sweet morsel of sin so greedily swallowed down, he now loathes, and would fain be rid of it. Even as willingly as one who had drunk a cup of poison would throw it up again. When the spring is stopped, the mud lies in the well unmoved. But when once the spring is cleared, the water springing up will work away the mud by degrees. Even so, while a man continues in an unregenerous state, sin lies at ease in the heart. But as soon as the Lord strikes a rocky heart with the rod of his strength in the day of conversion, grace is in him, a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4, 14 Working away natural corruption and gradually purifying the heart. Acts 15, 9 The renewed will rises up against sin, strikes at the root thereof and the branches too. Lusts are now grievous, and the soul endeavors to starve them. The corrupt nature is the source of all evil, and therefore the soul will be often laying it before the great physician. Oh, what sorrow, shame, and self-loathing feel the heart in the days that grace makes its triumphant entrance into it. For now the madman has come to himself, and the remembrance of his follies cannot but cut him to the heart. Lastly, the will is endowed with an inclination bent in propensity to good. In its depraved state it lay quiet another way, being prone and bent to evil only. But now, by the operation of the omnipotent, all-conquering arm, it is drawn from evil to good and gets another turn. As a former was natural, so this is natural too, in regard to the new nature given in regeneration, which has its holy lustings as well as the corrupt nature has its sinful lustings. Galatians 5, 17 The will, as renewed, inclines and points towards God and godliness. When God made man, his will, in respect of its intention, was directed towards God as his chief end. In respect of its choice, it pointed towards that which God willed. When man unmade himself, his will was framed to the very reverse hereof. He made himself his chief end and his own will his law. But when man is made new in regeneration, grace rectifies this disorder in some measure, though not perfectly, because we are but renewed in part while in this world. It brings back the sinner out of himself to God as his chief end. Psalm 73, 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Philippians 1, 21 For to me to live is Christ. It makes him to deny himself in whatever way he turns to point habitually towards God, who is the center of the gracious soul, its home, its dwelling place in all generations. Psalm 90, 1 By regenerating grace, the will is brought into a conformity to the will of God. It is conformed to his preceptive will, being endowed with holy inclinations, agreeable to every one of his commands. The whole law is impressed on the gracious soul. Every part of it is written on the renewed heart. Although remaining corruption makes such blots in the writing that oft times a man himself cannot read it, yet he that wrote it can read it at all times. It is never quite blotted out, nor can be. What he has written, he has written, and it shall stand. For this is a covenant. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts. Hebrews 13, 10 It is a covenant of salt, a perpetual covenant. It is also conformed to his providential will, so that the man would no more be master of his own process, nor carve out his lot for himself. He learns to say from his heart, The will of the Lord be done. He shall choose our inheritance for us. Thus the will is disposed to fall in with those things which in its depraved state it could never be reconciled to. Particularly, number one, the soul is reconciled to the covenant of peace. The Lord God proposes a covenant of peace to sinners. A covenant which he himself has framed and registered in the Bible. But they are not pleased with it. Nay, an unregenerate heart cannot be pleased with it. Were it put into their hands to frame it according to their minds, it would blot many things out of it which God has put in, and put in many things which God has kept out. But the renewed heart is entirely satisfied with the covenant. 2 Samuel 23, 5 He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered, and all things ensured. This is all my salvation and all my desire. Though the covenant could not be brought down to their depraved will, their will is by grace brought up to the covenant. They are well pleased with it. There is nothing in it which they would have out, nor is anything left out of which they would have in. Number two, The will is disposed to receive Christ Jesus the Lord. The soul is content to submit to him. Regenerating grace undermines and brings down the towering imaginations of the heart raised up against this rightful Lord. It breaks the iron sinew which kept the sinner from bowing to him, and disposes him to be no more stiff-necked but to yield. He is willing to have on the yoke of Christ's commands to take up the cross and to follow him. He is content to take Christ on any terms. Psalm 110, verse 3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. The mind being savingly enlightened and the will renewed, the sinner is thereby determined and enabled to answer the gospel call. So the chief work in regeneration is done. The fort of the heart is taken. There is room made for the Lord Jesus Christ in most parts of the soul, the inner door of the will being now open to him, as well as the outer door of the understanding. In one word, Christ is passively received into the heart. He is come into the soul by his quickening spirit, whereby spiritual life is given to the man who in himself was dead in sin. His first vital act we may conceive to be an active receiving of Jesus Christ, discerned in his glorious excellencies, that is, a believing on him, a closing with him, as discerned, offered, and exhibited in the word of his grace, the glorious gospel, the immediate effect of which is union with him. John 1, 12 and 13 To as many as received him, to them gave he power or privilege to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Ephesians 3, 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Christ having taken the heart by storm and triumphantly entered into it in regeneration, the soul by faith yields itself to him as it is expressed. 2 Chronicles 30 verse 8 Thus this glorious king, who came into the heart by his spirit, dwells in it by faith. The soul being drawn runs and being effectually called comes. Thirdly, in regeneration there is a happy change made on the affections. They are both rectified and regulated. Number one, this change rectifies the affections, placing them on suitable objects. 2 Thessalonians 3, 5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God. The regenerate man's desires are rectified. They are set on God himself and the things above. He who before cried with the world, who will show us any good, has changed his note and says, Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Psalm 4, 6 Before he saw no beauty in Christ, for which he was to be desired. But now he is all desires. He is altogether lovely. Song of Solomon 5, 16 The mainstream of his desires has turned to run towards God. For there is the one thing he desires. Psalm 27, 4 He desires to be holy as well as to be happy, and rather to be gracious than great. His hopes which were before low and staked down to things on earth are now raised and set on the glory which is to be revealed. He entertains the hope of eternal life, founded on the word of promise, Titus 1, 2, which hope he has as an anchor of the soul, fixing the heart under trials. Hebrews 6, 19 It puts him upon purifying himself, even as God is pure. John 3, 3 For he is begotten again unto a lively hope. 1 Peter 1, 3 His love is raised and set on God himself. On his holy law. Psalm 119, 97 Psalm 18, 1 Though it strike against his most beloved lust, he says the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Romans 7, 12 He loves the ordinances of God. Psalm 84, 1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Being passed from death unto life, he loves the brethren. 1 John 3, 14 The people of God, as they are called. 1 Peter 2, 10 He loves God for himself, and what is God's for his sake? Yea, as being a child of God, he loves his own enemies. His heavenly Father is compassionate and benevolent. He maketh his Son to rise on the evil end, on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore he is in like manner disposed. Matthew 5, 44, 45 His hatred is turned against sin in himself and others. I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. He groans under the body of it, and longs for deliverance. Romans 7, 24 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? His joys and delights are in God the Lord, in the light of his countenance, in his law, and in his people, because they are like him. Sin is what he chiefly fears. It is a fountain of sorrow to him now, though formerly a spring of pleasure.