cor humanum obstinatione et odio Dei ac diviuse legis maculavit, hasc infusa justitia cor emollit et amore boni accendit et inflammat. rostremo illud affectvis omnes atque ipsum appetitum rebellione infecit ; htec renovata sauctitas in ordinem cogit perturbatas aficctiones, et ipsam rcbellem concupisccntiam dominio spoliat, et quasi sub jugum mittit." — Davenant. de Justit. Habit, cap. iii.
" Fides tanquam radix imbre suscepto hceret iu auimse solo; ut cum per legem Dei cxcoli coeperit surgant in ea rami qui fructus operum ferant. Non ergo ex operibus radix justitioe, sed exradice justitise fructus opeiiim crescit." — Origen. lib. iv. in Epist. ad Roman.
220 WOEK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE [BOOK III.
ing the Holy Ghost, and then all graces with hhn.^ However, if they only design to speak ambiguously, improperly, and unscripturally, confounding effects and their causes, habits and actions, faculties or powers and occasional acts, infused j)rinciples and acquired habits, spiritual and moral, grace and nature, that they may take an oppor- tunity to rail at others for want of better advantage, I shall not con- tend with them ; for allow a new spiritual principle, an infused habit of grace, or gracious abilities, to be required in and unto regenera- tion, or to be the product or the work of the Spirit therein, that which is "born of the Spirit being spirit," and this part of the nature of this work is sufficiently cleared. Now, this the Scripture abun- dantly testifieth unto.
2 Cor. V. 17, " If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." This new creature is that which is intended, that which was before described, which being born of the Spirit is spirit. This is produced in the souls of men by a creating act of the power of God,^ or it is not a creature. And it is superinduced into the essential faculties of our souls, or it is not a new creature; for whatever is in the soul of power, disposition, ability, or inclination imto God, or for any moral actions, by nature, it belongs unto the old creation, it is no new creature. And it must be somewhat that hath a being and subsistence of its own in the soul, or it can be neither neiu nor a creature. And by our apostle it is opposed to all outward privileges. Gal. V. 6, vi. 15. That the production of it also is by a creating act of almighty power the Scripture testifieth, Ps. li, 10; Eph. ii. 10; and this can denote nothing but a new spiritual principle or nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God. "No," say some; " a new creature is no more but a changed man." It is true ; but then this change is in- ternal also. " Yes, in the purposes, designs, and inclinations of the mind." But is it by a real infusion of a new principle of spiritual life and holiness? "No; it denotes no more but a new course of conver- sation, only the expression is metaphorical. A new creature is a moral
^ " Is qui Spiritus Sancti particeps efficitur, pei' communionem ejus fit spiritualis pa- riter et sanctus." — Didym. lib. i. de Spir. Sane, p. 218, inter opera Hieronymi.
" Qui Spiritu Sancto plenus est statim universis donationibus Dei repletur, sapientia, scientia, fide, cseterisque virtutibus." — Id. ibid.
" Nunquam enim accipit quisquam spirituales benedictiones Dei, nisi prsecesserit Spiritus Sanctus; qui enim liabet Spiritum Sanctum consequenter liabebit benedic- tiones."— Idem, p. 220.
2 " Sicut in nati-vitatc carnali omnem nascentis hominis yoluntatem projcedit operis divini formatio, sic in sijirituali nativitate qua veterem homiuem deponere incipimus." — Fulgent, de Incarnat. et Grat. Christ, cap. 29.
" Forma prcecessit in carne Christi, quam in nostra fide spiritualiter agnoscamus; nam Cliristus Filius Dei, secundum carnem de Spiritu Sancto conceptus et natus est : cai'nem autcm illam nee concipere virgo posset nee parere, nisi ejus caniis Spiritus Sanctus operetur exordium. Sic etiara in liominis corde nee concipi fides potuit nee augeri, nisi earn Spiritus Sanctus elFundat et nutriat. Ex eodem namque Spiritu renati sumus, ex quo Chi'istus natus est." — Idem, cap. xx.
CHAP. I.] NEW CEEATION BY EEGENERATION. 221
OT«7i that hath changed his course and way ; for if he were always a moral man, that he was never in any vicious way or course, as it was with him, Matt. xix. 16-22, then he was always a new creature." This is good gospel, at once overthrowing original sin and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ! This doctrine, I am sure, was not learned from the fatliers, whereof some used to boast; nay, it is much more fulsome than any thing ever taught by Pelagius himself, who, in- deed, ascribed more unto grace than these men do, although he de- nied this creation of a new principle of grace in us antecedent unto acts of obedience.^ And this turning all Scripture expressions of spiritual things into metaphors is but a way to turn the whole into a fable, or at least to render the gospel the most obscure and im- proper way of teaching the truth of things that ever was made use of in the world.
This new creature, therefore, doth not consist in a new course of actions, but in renewed faculties, with neiu dispositions, poiuer, or ability to them and for them. Hence it is called the " divine na- ture:" 2 Pet. i. 4, "He hath given unto us exceeding great and pre- cious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature." This ^s/a <pv(ri5, this "divine nature," is not the nature of God, whereof in our own persons we are not subjectively partakers ; and yet a nature it is which is a principle of operation, and that divine or spiritual, — namely, an habitual holy principle, wrought in us by God, and bearing his image. By the " promises," therefore, we are made partakers of a divine, supernatural principle of spiritual actions and operations; which is what we contend for. So the whole of what we intend is declared, Eph. iv. 22-24, "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts ; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." It is the work of regeneration, with respect both to its foundation and progress, that is here described. 1. The founda- tion of the whole is laid in our being "renewed in the sjDirit of our mind;" which the same apostle elsewhere calls being "transformed in the renovation of our minds," Rom. xii. 2. That this consists in the participation of a new, saving, supernatural light, to enable the mind unto spiritual actings, and to guide it therein, shall be afterward de- clared. Herein consists our "renovation in knowledge, after the image of him who created us," Col. iii. 10. And, 2. The principle itself infus- ed into us, created in us, is called the "new man," Eph. iv. 24, — that is, the new creature before mentioned; and it is called the " new