Thirdly, In this state of spiritual death there is not, in them who are under the power of it, any disposition active and inclining unto life spiritual. There is not so in a dead carcase unto life natural. It is a subject meet for an external power to introduce a living prin- ciple into. So the dead body of Lazarus was quickened and animated again by the introduction of his soul ; but in itself it had not the least active disposition nor inclination thereunto. And no otherwise is it with a soul dead in trespasses and sins. There is in it potentia ohedientialis, a power rendering it meet to receive the communica- tions of grace and spiritual life; but a disposition thereunto of its own it hath not. There is in it a remote power, in the nature of its faculties, meet to be Avrought upon by the Spirit and grace of God; but an immediate power, disposing and enabling it unto spiri-
296 LIFE AND DEATH, ETC. [BOOK III.
tual acts, it hatli not. And the reason is, because natural corruption cleaves unto it as an invincible, unmovable habit, constantly inducing unto evil, wlierewith the least disposition unto spiritual good is not consistent. There is in the soul, in the Scripture language (which some call " canting"), " the body of the sins of the flesh," Col. ii. 11 ; which unless it be taken away by spiritual circumcision, through the virtue of the death of Christ, it will lie dead in to eternity. There is, therefore, in us that which may be quickened and saved; and this is all we have to boast of by nature. Though man by sin be made like the beasts that perish, being brutish and foolish in his mind and affections, yet he is not so absolutely; he retains that living soul, those intellectual faculties, which were the subject of original right- eousness, and are meet to receive again the renovation of the image of God by Jesus Christ.
But this also seems obnoxious to an objection from the instances that are given in the Scrij^ture, and whereof we have experience, concerning sundry good duties performed by men unregenerate, and that in a tendency unto living unto God, which argues a disposition to spiritual good. So Balaam desired to " die the death of the right- eous;" and Herod "heard John the Baptist gladly, doing many things willingly;" and great endeavours after conversion unto God we find in many who never attain thereunto. So that to say there is no dis- position unto spiritual life in any unregenerate person is to make them all equal, which is contrary to experience.
Ans. 1. There is no doubt but that unregenerate men may per- form many external duties which are good in themselves, and lie in the order of the outward disposal of the means of conversion ; nor is it questioned but they may have real designs, desires, and endeavours after that which is presented unto them as their chiefest good ; — but so far as these desires or actings are merely natural, there is no dis- position in them unto spiritual life, or that which is spiritually good. So far as they are supernatural, they are not of themselves; for, —
2. Although there are no preparatory inclinations in men, yet there are preparatory luorks upon them. Those who have not the word, yet may have convictions of good and evil, from the autho- rity of God in their consciences, Rom. ii. 14, 15. And the law, in the dispensation of it, may work men unto many duties of obedience, much more may the gospel so do; but whatever effects are hereby produced, they are wrought by the power of God, exerted in the dis- pensation of the word. They are not educed out of the natural faculties of the minds of men, but are effects of the power of God in them and upon them, for we know that " in the flesh there dwelleth no good thing;" and all unregenerate men are no more, for "that Avhich is born of the flesh is flesh."
CHAP, v.] NATUEE, CAUSES, AND MEANS OF REGENERATION. 297
3. The actings thus effected and produced in men unregenerate are neither fruits of, nor dispositions unto spii'itual life. Men that are spiritually dead may have designs and desires to free themselves from dying eternally, but such a desire to be saved is no saving dis- position unto life.
CHAPTER V.
THE NATURE, CAUSES, AND MEANS OF REGENERATION.
Description of the state of nature necessary unto a right understanding of the work of the Spirit in regeneration — No possibihty of salvation unto persons living and dying in a state of sin — Deliverance from it by regeneration only — The Holy Ghost the peculiar author of this work — Differences about the manner and nature of it — Way of the ancients in explaining the doctrine of grace — The present method proposed — Conversion not wrought by moral suasion only — The nature and efficacy of moral suasion, wherein they consist — Illumination preparatory unto conversion — The nature of grace morally effective only, opened ; not sufficient for conversion — The first argument, dis- proving the working of grace in conversion to be by moral suasion only — The second — The third — The fourth — Wherein the work of the Spirit in regene- ration positively doth consist — The use and end of outward means — Real in- ternal efficiency of the Spirit in this work — Grace victorious and irresistible — The nature of it explained ; proved — The manner of God's working by grace on our wills farther explained — Testimonies concerning the actual collation of faith by the power of God — Victorious efficacy of internal grace proved by sundry testimonies of Scripture — From the nature of the work wrought by it, in vivification and regeneration — Regeneration considered with respect unto the distinct faculties of the soul; the mind, the will, the affections.