[3.] Is it such a change as doth amount to conversion or regenera- tion ? Every change will not serve the turn, but such as doth induce a new life and likeness unto God.
First, The infusion of a new life or vital principle is the great thing in regeneration. Is it so indeed that you begin to live in Christ? Life is known by sense, appetite, and motion.
(1.) Sense. They that have another life have another sense of good and evil than ever they had before. Another sense of evil. The soul as soon as born is sensible of the injuries of tliat life he hath ; so the new creature is sensible of the hurt of the life of grace. They feel their corruptions, groan under the burden of them : Kom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' More troubled with the relics of sin and the opposition of the flesh. They had but notions about these things before, now they have a feeling of them ; but superficial apprehensions before, but now sin is as great a trouble to them as pain and sickness to the life natural.
(2.) Appetite. They have another gust and savour. The new crea- ture longeth after the means appointed to feed it : 1 Peter ii. 2, ' As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.' Such as the food is, such is the life. A carnal man liveth a carnal life, when his secret thoughts and inward affections are set upon carnal delights : Luke xii. 19, ' And I will say unto my soul. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up' for many years, eat, drink, and be merry.^ He cheereth up himself with these things. They have other supports, other comtbrts, as Christ, and grace, and eternity, and the promises of the good word : 1 Peter ii. 3, ' If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' They find these things sweet ; so the new crea- ture hath its tastes and distastes; a promise set home upon the soul, it is sweeter than honey to the taste, Ps. cxix. 103.
Now you that come to Christ's table for the food of the new creature, have you no appetite, no gust ? New creatures are welcome. This banquet was provided for them, and they will come with most gust and desire. There is a suitableness of Christ without and Christ within us. Christ within helpeth us to live upon this food. Fleshly
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minds find no pleasure in the things of God; somewhat else doth please them better.
(3.) By motion or action. If there be life, it will be stirring. A man cannot have fire in his bosom, and not feel it. ' I will give you a new heart, and you shall walk in my ways.' Now the vital principle is discovered — (1.) By the uniformity of our actions ; (2.) By the tendency of them.
(1st.) The uniformity. Natural actions are uniform. Fire doth always ascend and a stone descend. That is casual which is but now and then. A wicked man sinneth constantly, frequently, easily. It is preternatural if he doeth good ; it is only by fits and good moods ; it is casual, not natural ; whereas a godly man maketh religion his business. It is true, there is a fleshly nature always at work, opposing and thwarting the Spirit or new principle ; therefore the uniformity of our motion is known by this, what advantage the Spirit hath over the flesh, or the flesh over the Spirit ? Gal. v. 16, ' Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.' Now, briefly, do you maintain the motions and directions of the renewed part, or the new man of grace in the heart, so as to keep under the motions of the flesh or the corrupt part ? Though inbred corruption be not totally sup- })ressed, 3'et the motions of it shall not be fulfilled.
(2d) The tendency, the inclination and bent of the soul is turned. He that giveth himself to God must live to God. Our dedication is known by our use, our scope by our work, our making covenant by our keeping covenant with God. Our life must show the reality of our first consent. We are his : ' He hath bought us with a price,' 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20 ; and therefore we must live to him : Rom. vi. 4, ' So we also should live in newness of life ; ' 1 Peter iv. 1, 2, ' For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God,' You must make it your main business to be what God would have you to be, and to do wliat God would have you to do. The spiritual principle is carried to God; a living to God. The new nature came from God, and worketh towards God or for God. God is the centre of the soul, and the ancient strength of the soul was made for God and towards God. So when it is renewed and restored, it is for God : Rom. vii. 4, ' Ye are dead to the law by the body of Ciu-ist ; that ye should be mari-ied to another, even to him that is raised from the dead ; that we should bring forth fruit unto God.'