in many, and those the most important, cases. The great God promises infinitely greater things than any mortal can promise; and threatens greater things, than they can assume to themselves to do. But what do all these things signify, where men remain still in the flesh? His laws are plain, and his promises very assured, and his threatenings awful and monitory, to them who are once born of the Spirit, and have got somewhat of sense and life about them, and can perceive things which are above the common allay: but for them who yet remain strangers to this birth, and upon whom the Spirit of the living God hath done no such refining work it is plain that such men's hearts take no impressions from the plainest discoveries of his will. When they are warned of the danger of a continued course of sin; they who warn them are like them who mock : and whatsoever they represent from the divine promises of the blessed state of holy and sincere and obedient souls, is all but like a tale which is told. These methods of

government, in the present constitution of this kingdom, will not suit those who are not born spirit of spirit, and till that Spirit come forth with that power, and in that operation, by which the souls of men are begotten to spiritual life. In that work itself, and by that work, the divine precepts and promises, and threatenings, come to be successful and effectually applied; but never else, no more than the most express human laws, with the addition of the severest penalties, or promises of the highest rewards, would signify to a multitude of dead men.

And then for the way of government in the future state of this kingdom, and when it arrives to its perfect state; there we must suppose, the way of government should be, by sweet and secret intimations, and internal irradiations upon receptive minds and hearts; such elapses by which hidden sense is conveyed, even in a moment, so as that all the subjects of that kingdom are to obey, as it were, any wink, or nod, or glance of the eye; I mean any such intimations which can as secretly convey the sense of the great Ruler, as they do commonly among us. But how manifest is it that there must be a great refinedness of mind and heart, to receive those gentle touches by which spirits are in a moment to be swayed this way or that. One who is yet a composition of flesh and not born of the Spirit, how uncapable is he of these kind impressions; these touches which are to come by so gentle a hand; these so insinuating ways, by which God is to slide into the very spirits of these blessed souls, and prompt them this way or that as he pleases!

7. It were most unsuitable to the unchangeableness and perpetuity of this kingdom, that any should be admitted into it, who are not born into it, or made spiritual as the constitution of it is. We ought in all reason to think, that such a state of things as is designed for perpetuity, and never to be changed, must be most unexceptionably perfect. It were a dismal thought that this kingdom should be at once both eternal, and imperfect for then if it were imperfect it must be imperfect always; and whatsoever were amiss in this constitution of it, would never be repaired, or altered. This kingdom, though it is in its inchoate estate, yet imperfect, that inchoate state is but its temporary state, which will soon be over: but then there must be even in the very entrance into it, an entrance the right way, otherwise the case will be like an error in the first concoction, which is never cured in the second; that is, it must be by being born spirit of spirit. When any one comes into it, he comes into a kingdom which is to be everlasting; and so whatever there should be of irregularity and imperfection in admitting him into this kingdom, it would be an unalterable thing. Substantially this kingdom can never be altered: grace and glory do not substantially differ. That holiness, which the saints carry the name of such from, while they are here on earth, is not another or a diverse thing, from what must be their eternal character above; it will be of the same kind, only much more perfect. That knowledge of God, and satisfaction in God which is to be enjoyed hereafter, is of the same kind and nature, with what in a more inferior degree, the saints partake of here; and in that lower degree they must be attempered and suited in their very constitution: otherwise there

would be a substantial difference, between one member of this kingdom and another; and which were never to be altered, but must last always; because the difference which is to be made between the present and future state of this kingdom, is not substantial, but gradual only. And therefore the apostle argues with so much severity, (Heb. 12.) when he had been speaking of that which is most constituent of this kingdom, "an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect," all making up together one "church of the firstborn written in heaven; We having," says he, "received a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire." You have now the frame and model of this kingdom brought among you, which is never to be shaken; you are to account therefore that God will make thorough work in his setting up this kingdom; that there shall be no flaws of defects to be found, which shall be uncapable of remedy and

cure afterwards. He never intends to take this frame of things asunder any more, but that it shall last for ever; and therefore expect him to be a consuming fire about this work; he is not to be dallied with now he hath such a work as this in his hands; therefore look that you carry it acceptably to him, with reverence and godly fear. He will shew himself to be a consuming fire in the managing the work of his kingdom, and the setting and framing that constitution and state of things which he resolved never should be shaken, but should last always. And the very reason of the thing itself doth require that it should be so: for whatever a man designs for a long continuance, he would be most accurately curious about. That which he intends only for a day, he would be little solicitous how it were composed and framed; whether there were such curiosity and similitude of parts, yea or no; but that which he intends to be a lasting and permanent thing, that he would have to be very exact at first. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Do we think that when the blessed God designed a perpetual and unshaken kingdom, he would take that into the constitution of it, by which it would certainly come to be divided against itself; and be disagreeing to itself, as the image or representation of Nebuchadnezzar, which was part brass, part iron, and part clay? Surely this kingdom must be another kind of constitution, and made better to agree with itself, inasmuch as it is designed to be unchangeable and everlasting.

Thus then you have the second thing demonstrated; the necessity of being born of the Spirit in order to the having place in the kingdom of God. It lies in our way here to reflect, that since there are so many full, clear, cogent, and convictive reasons of this truth, that yet there should be so great unaptness and slowness in the spirits of men, to receive so vast a truth as this. Is it not an amazing thing, that whereas truths of another import, as soon as they appear to be such, are presently received, and without any more ado: and if they are understood to concern us, they are commonly received with suitable affections and impressions upon men's minds? If you should tell a man there is an opportunity of an advantageous hargain; if he once comes to believe it to be true, he not only assents to it, but receives it with correspon dent impressions on his will, resolutions, and affections; it influences his practice, and he goes and does accordingly. It is a thing most amazing, when we consider how express the affirmation is, and how plain and clear the reasons are; and that if once it be acknowledged a truth, it cannot but be acknowledged a most important truth; that yet we so common-,

ly hear of such matters, just as we hear a tale which is told, and as if it were all one to us, whether it were true or false. What would we think necessary to beget an unwavering firm persuasion in our hearts, that such a thing is true? Why certainly the concurrence of testimony and plain reason together, carry as much as our hearts can wish in order to the clearing of whatsoever truth. Here is the express word of the Lord of this kingdom; for it is the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as the kingdom of God; now you will look upon it as the greatest vanity and madness imaginable for any to promise himself an interest and share in the blessedness of that kingdom, against the express word of the Lord of it. Pray, by what right should you come into it, if the Lord and King will not admit you? Or by what power? Where is your right if he deny your right? Where is your power to evade or oppose, if he resist and withstand you? If there were no more in the business, this were enough, he hath spoken it, and ratified it by the seal of his own Amen. Verily, verily I say unto you: I do assever it to you; I assert it to you with all the peremptoriness imaginable. What should become of that man's soul, or what can we think of his persuasion, who is persuaded against the real word of the Lord of this kingdom, that he shall have place in it? The reason of the thing is so convictive and manifest, that nothing can be more. You may as well think of making a composition of light and darkness, fire and water, of the most inconsistent things; as to bring flesh and spirit together into the composition of this kingdom.

SERMON IV.*

THE HE truth we have in hand is this ;-That there is a work to be done upon all who partake in the kingdom of God, by which they are to be born spirit of spirit.-We have spoken to this doctrinally at large;- the Use of it is now before us. And that which I have first to take notice of, as a reflection which cannot but be of very great and common use, is, that since this is so plain and evident a truth, it is exceeding strange that it should not more commonly and visibly obtain in the belief of those who profess themselves christians. So important a truth believed, could not but infer that, that belief would be visible in the practice; and so evident a truth, one would think, men should not stick to believe. Wherefore there are these two heads, I think might be worth our while to discourse to you -To let you see that it is but too visible this truth is not believed by the generality of professed christians and—to shew the unreasonableness of men's disbelief in reference thereunto.

I. I am to shew that this truth is not believed by the generality of those who call themselves christians. And that I may speak more clearly and distinctly, it will be requisite,-to tell you what I mean by their not believing this truth; and then-shew you that men do not believe it.

1. What is intended by this charge upon the generality of persons professing Christianity? Here it will be necessary to

* Preached December 26th, 1677. at Cordwainer's Hall.