MAN was once in a state of happiness , chiefly for that he was born happy ; That Bless'd condition was annexed to his Beeing , neither could he Be , but he must therewith be happy , as it were by nature and Patrimoniall inheritance . But , alasse ! this so happy estate lasted not long ; 't was extreamly good , and such advancements have never used to approve themselves to the world by length and duration . Habitus corporis extremè bonus maximè periculosus , is a rule approved by the Physitians , Exactest health speaks worst danger of Change , and from the wisest of Politicians , the wittiest of Poets , — Summisque negatum Stare diu . This so happy estate therefore lasted not ; and the unavoidable change , not but as in extreams it uses to be , from one extream to another : Out of the Heathen so noted by the (1) (1) Nam ut paulò a●tè , qui superiorem illam sectam amplexi sunt contumeliosus in B. Virginem opiniones asperserunt , Sic isti in contratiam partem declinantes , extrema● i● noxam & pernici●m in●id●runt , ut Philosophorum celebre illud dictum in ipsis comprobetur , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) Extremitates Aequalitates Epiphan. l. 3. haer 79. c. 1 : Christian long since , and here it took place to the full , From the pinnacle of a Temple to the bottome of a Pit , From the highest of perfection to the lowest of defection , From the top of all happiness this fall was to the worst and lowest of all kind of misery . Whereby was caught a woful bruise : Poor Man ! thou feelest and complainest of it to this very day , nor have some thousands of years worn off all grief and anguish from thy distempered either body or soul , And yet were not thy case wholly Miserable , if any way Amendable . But as a crackt Bel that admits of no reparation of fracture , it must be molten , or it remains good for nothing ; Or as a Goldsmiths vessel , so bruised and battered (2) (2) Ac fabri quidem aerarii , & qui ex argilla vasa fingunt ; cum aliquid vetustate obsoletum renovare cupiunt , primùm illud confringunt , ac deinde iterum conflant : Baptismus autem nos de●uò conflat ; non igni sensibili sed spiritus flamma spurcitiem omnem excutiente atque abolente . Nicet . Commentar. ad Gregor. Nazianzen . Crat. 40. cap. 8. by unlucky fall , that in vain is the Craftsmans assistance called in , no Art can repaire and soder it to former use , but it must to the fire and furnace , to bee wholly New-Made : So universally and irrecoverably was Man mischiefed and spoiled in all his powers to Good , and abilities against Evil , that there needs a total Reformation and Renovation , the frame so out of frame , that ( no talk of amendment ) the Whole must be taken in hand , and (3) (3) Et quam ob causam , inquis , hoc quod nobis peccata concedit , non lavacrum remissionis peccatorum dicitur , nec lavacrum purificationis , sed lavacrum Regenerationis ? Quia non nobis simpliciter peccata concedit , nec simpliciter nos purificat malis actibus implicatos , sed tanquam denuò Generatos efficit . Nam denuò nos condit & conficit , &c. Chrys●st Homil. 60. ad illuminand . Tom. 1. pa. 710. Ut igitur statuam auri metallo confectam aliquanti temporis metis fumo & pulvere & aeruginis sordibus coinquinatam cum artificis manus acceperint , renovant fornacis ardore , & splendidam nobis lucidamque demonstrant : ita & nostram naturam Deus aeruginatam mole peccati , & malorum gestorum fumo violatam , & omni pulchritudine , quam primò ei donaverat , denudatam , in illos aquarum fontes , tanquam in conflatorium mittit : & pro flamma , spiritus gratiam subministrat , & exinde rudes effectos etiam solis radiis elevat clariùs lucentes , veterem hominem conterens , novum autem ostendens longè meliorem . id . ib. New-made , or else Man is lost and undone as to the state of two worlds . This is usually known in Christian Schools by the name of a Second Birth , or Regeneration , and hath here its necessity declared and demonstrated to a great Scholar , that yet it seems had not learned this point of necessary Learning : In the state of lapsed , decayed nature , no good is to be expected , and Verily I say unto thee , ( says Christ to Nicodemus ) unlesse a man be ( so new formed and made as to be ) Born Again , he cannot see the Kingdome of God .

The words our Saviours , ( the best Teacher ) and spoken as they were to a Great Name , not inferiour to any of his time , Rabbi Ruler Nicodemus ; Who being ( as Gualter on the place ) a professing , eminent Pharisee , did , no doubt , much rely upon that Pharisaical-natural-performance , hoping thereby to earn out a good estate toward God ; chiefly by the advantage of his Sect ( the straitest of his Nation ) by his So being and Doing even to merit eternal life . Acts 26.5 . Our Saviour Catechises him better , ( and that his scope , says the same Authour ) assuring him that in Him , or us , that is , in our corrupt natural nature ( if I may so speak ) dwelleth no good thing , Rom. 7.18 . ( flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God , nor is Corruption prepared to enter into life : ) A man must be transplanted into a better stock , before he can bring forth acceptable fruit to God , renewed , advanced , purified to higher and holier capacities and powers , yea , Metamorphosed , and exalted to another Heavenly nature by Grace , or else he is unfit to look him who is LIGHT in the face : And verily ( says Christ ) unlesse ( to his naturall Birth ) he be again so Born , he cannot see the Kingdome of God .

That is , in our first state of being we are all utterly lost , if a man remain but what his parents left him , He is verily the childe of Death . 2 Sam. 12.5 . David spake it to his Prophet only in a Parable , but it is really true of all the sons of Adam , They can make out themselves no better fortune , but they live onely to Die , nor may their best endeavours help them so much as one step in the way to everlasting life . A Felon may get , but can never keep , what , under his guilt , the Law disables him to own , and he that is not rectus in curia , is deprived thereby of his otherwise due rights and priviledges : Even so , saith Christ , Without me , ye can do nothing , John 15 5. Be ye whatsoever ye are , or would , the tree must be made good before the fruit , He that is born Man , must be exalted farther and higher , beyond common humanity , by heavenly birth , or else , be what he will , or do what he can , He is not , he acts not the Child of GOD. The summe is , Of our best works of decayed nature in old state , there is little or no hopes to Heaven , our very righteousnesse is sin , our piety guilt , our religion abomination , and Vnlesse a man be reformed to the heighth of an accessory regeneration , and more then amended , new born Again , He cannot look to see the Kingdome of GOD , what , and who is invisible .

A strange and spiritual Doctrine to the grosse conceit of a Carnal Pharisee : who measuring all things by lower human reason , and entertaining nothing but according to such praeconceived notions , is startled into little lesse then a phrensie of conceit ; and so absurd as to vent those thoughts by (1) (1) Solet hoc evenire personatis Ecclesiae pastoribus , ut si nemo illos arguat , ipsi inscitiam suam ineptissimis quaestronibus & propositionibus publicè prodant . Gual●er . Homil. 7. in Joan. 1. words importing a second natural Birth , to make way whereto , he admits necessarily a praesupposition that he might and must reenter his Mothers wombe , that he may be so born , All which ( from so many improbabilities to be clambred over ) might well draw forth their mention in form of a doubt , Whether ? and this doubt question of the thing no lesse then the possibility , CAN these things be So ? CAN a man be born again ? Is it possible he Should enter Again into the bed of his former Creation , that he may thence be so new Born ? ver. 4. Our Saviour meekly instructs him , and not so much chiding , as gently leading him out of his Errour , shews him both the Thing and the Manner , ver. 5. What , and how : That he must be so born , and that birth be of water (2) (2) Cum enim duplex sit homo , ex anima & corpore compositus , duplex quoque est purificatio : incorporea quidem , incorporeo : corporea verò , corpori . Et aqua sanè mundat corpus , spiritus autem signat animam , ut abluti in corpore aqua munda , & repurgati in corde ( spiritu Dei ) accedamus ad Deum . Cyril . Hierosolymit . Cateches. 3. pa. 16. Cum homo sit compolitum quid , non simplex naturá , ex duobus attemperatus , corpore nimirum sensibili , & anima intelligente , gemino quoque opus erit ei ad regenerationem remedio utrique quodammodo assini & amico . Spiritu namque sanctificatur hominis spiritus , aquá verò sanctificata , corpus . Cyril . Alexandrin : Comment: in Joan. 3. Tom 4. pa. 147. Quandoquidem homo duplici natura , hoc est animo & corpore constabat , duplicem quoque purgationem nobis dedit , nempe & per aquam & per spiritum : sic nimirum , ut spiritus divinae imaginis ac similitudinis decus in nobis instauret , aqua autem per spiritus gratiam corpus peccati deleat , &c. Jo: Damascen : Orthed : sid. lib. 4. cap. 10. And before them all . Tertullian : The mind ( saith he ) not the flesh , is first in fault , Spiritus enim dominatur , Caro famulatur : and yet are they both to blame , spiritus ob imperium , Caro ob Ministerium . Igitur medicatis quodammodo aquis per Angeli interventum , & spiritus in aquis corporaliter diluitur , & cano in eisdem spiritualiter mundatur li. de Baptism : cap : 4 pa: 257 : and the Holy Ghost . For , That which is born of the flesh , is flesh ( alone ) ver. 6. That onely is born of the Spirit , is Spirit : Marvell not therefore that I said unto thee , A man must be born Again , for Except a Man be so born , he cannot see the Kingdome of God .

So that two things the words then naturally give just occasion to insist on . 1. Their subject , Regeneration ( as a simple Theme ) Vnlesse a man be Again Born . 2. The consequent or effect of this precedent cause , supposed and implied in the denial of that consequent or effect upon the absence or exclusion of the cause , Except he be so born , He cannot see what is Heavenly . Begin with the former , ( Regeneration ) Except a man be born Again , &c.

And hereof , before I come to the main I aim at , two things more I crave leave to Preface by : One of the Word , another of the Thing . Of the Word , thus .

1. Whereas our authorized English Translation has here Verily , unlesse a man be born Again , with which word in the text is a marginal note of Reference , and the Referree gives choice , or From above , Though the former is usually taken , as best agreeing with the use most men make of it , yet the latter is the right and truer , as agreeing not onely with the Original ( to us ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , As , Every good giving and e●ery perfect gift is from above , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and c●meth down from the Father of Lights , Jam. 1.17 . so ●hap. 3.17 . and John 19.11 . Here in th s Chapt ver. 31. O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh from above is over all : Qui superne venit , so Beza ; qui desursum , so the Vu●gar ; qui e super●●s , so Erasmus . The verse after expounds it self , He that cometh fr●m Heaven is above all . ( consideratly by the old Latine rendred , desuper ) but also with the scope and consequence of the place , ( as well before as after ) which make it May be thus , and renders it so indeed that it can very hardly be meant or translated any other way . For , Whereas the whole given is a set Dialogue between a great Critick in the Learning of his Nation , and our Saviour , of Heavenly things ( mark the subject ) and He had begun by telling our Lord , that he verily thought He came down from God ( above ) else He could not doe the things he had been seen perform , ver. 2. Our Lord answers by granting the thing , ( How could he doe otherwise ? ) But withal he affirms more , Raising the particular instance to a general case , My self ? Nay , I say unto thee , No Man , Except hee make derivation from thence , ( or from above , from that God ) can so much as see or know any thing toward that Kingdome . That which is born of the flesh ( here ) is flesh , and can see only flesh or connatural fleshy things , That which is born of the spirit or from above , that onely discerneth the things that came from whence , or belong thereto whereof it is : Marvel not therefore that I said unto thee A man must be born ( or derive ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , from above , ( for that is the word again ) For , unl●sse he can truly pretend to such extraction , and finde the root of his pedegree in Heaven , he cannot look back thither again , or see the Kingdome of God . When this had puzled the thoughts of the grave unlearned Do●tor ( I may well style him so , sith Christ upbraids his ignorance ) and his troubled mind ▪ little lesse then phrenetically carnal , had admitted the raising of no lesse then a tempest of manifold doubts , What ? Can these things be ? Can a man be born , and when he is old ? May he return a second time to the former womb , that he may be so born ? No , says our Saviour , this needs not ; Hee needs but be born ( where he is ) of water and that sacred blast or insufflation ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which all know to come from superiour unknown regions , and that enough : Another of the same name , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and perhaps some nature common , bloweth where it listeth , here below , and men hear the sound thereof , but know ( as little as of this ) whence it cometh , or whither it goeth , Such is the extraction and designation of this Grace and its work ; which wonder not that I require of invisible production , for unlesse a man do so derive , or bee so born , ( from whence , or to what he knows not , his hopes are little to or toward the Kingdome of God . The sum is , A man must be born again , that is , from above ; from above , that is , from Heaven ; from Heaven , that is , be inspired thence invisibly , Divinely , or else he cannot doe the works that I ( or any other good man ) does , or ( acceptably ) look in any holy just performance to God above , that dwelleth beyond the thick clouds : Marvel not therefore that I spake in the Metaphor , requiring such supernall extraction , to be born from on high , for unlesse a man be so born , he cannot , &c. as before . This for the word , and setting together the ( disturbed ) frame of the Text , now as to the Thing .

2. Although the head of sacred Re-Generation be such a subject ( or article ) of Christian Faith , that many things are spoken ( and written ) of it ( with confidence enough , ) and particularly this Chapter ( and very Text ) made a ground for them , ( and many other besides ) as if the New Testament spake of nothing more plainly , intentionally , clearly , and fully , yet such is the mistake , and things so far from being indeed so , that , not onely this place ( so much confided in ) has not the word Regeneration , ( nor any of the same import , save by consequence and insinuation ) Nor , having enquired with some diligence , could I finde it else-where above once or twice in this whole Code , ( very seldom compleatly in this notion . ) Once , 't is beyond exception , in Tit. 3.5 . where Christian purification by water is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Laver of Regeneration , and has annexed to it fitly , the Co-assistant operation of the holy Ghost ; And that of S. Peter 1. — 1.23 . Being born-again not of corruptible semination , but incorruptible , &c. may perhaps look that way : But for that which follows there in the next Chapter , As new-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word , that ye may prosper by it , and our Saviours promise , Ye that have followed me in the regeneration , and my text , Mat. 19.29 . These are so far from expressing a Regeneration , that the first and last have not the word , nor the middlemost , in any likely interpretation , the Thing , ( as neither many other places , ( the subjects of like abuse ) wrested yet about to serve ends , and pressed to confesse that they meant not , nor ever knew : ) For , in 1 Pet. 2.2 . the Apostle onely fetches a comparison from young and tender infants ( (1) (1) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : t t modo nati infantes , Beza . sicut modò geniti infantes : so the old Translation . As infants even now born : so the Rh●mists . Now-born , not New-born , as the Original word gives plain ) whom hee would have desire the food of their souls , with as much sincerity , and free from guile and hypocrisie , as those tender babes do their natural food , ( Much to our Saviours Doctrin , Matth. 10.15 . to receive the Kingdome of God as a little childe , and as he calls that pattern of humility and simplicity , and sets it before his turbulent ambitious aspiring Disciples , Matth. 18.2 . which (2) (2) Br●thren be not children in understanding ; Howbeit , in malice , be ye children : but in understanding shew your selves Men. 1 Cor. 14.20 . S. Paul forgat not to take into his rule neither , ) And that promise of our Saviour , Mat. 19. is onely of compensation his faithful followers shall have , ( Disciples , or whosoever forsake any thing for him , ) in the Regeneration says the text , in seculo futuro , expounds it Junius , in Christs temporal Kingdome yet to come ( and after the first resurrection ) on earth , expect the (1) (1) Whereof see a Learned and ingenuous Treatise , by M Maton , on Acts 1.6 . Lord , wilt thou again at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel ? Millenarians , but in the (2) (2) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Renas●ntia , — instauratio . Item universalis resurrectio . Seapul . Lexic . Novissimus hujus mundi dies , qui sic dicitur , quod eo Deus creatu●us sit novum coelum & novam terram , hominémque electum perfectè regeneraturus , ut Mat. 1● . 28 Paes●r . Lexic pa. 170. and see also Marlorat . Enchirid. l●c . commun pag. 529. D●ae enim sunt Regenerationes , p●ima animarum ex aqua & spiritu in Baptismo , secundae corporum in generali resurrectione , quae quidem resurrectio dicitur Regeneratio vel secund● generatio . Ludolph . de vita Christi . lib. 2. cap. 13. sect. 13. In regeneratione cum sederit filius hominis in ●ede Majestatis suae ( quando & mortui de corruptione resu●gent incorrupti ) se deb●tis & vos in soliis judicantium , &c. So S. Jerome expounds in Comment. ad Matth. 19. Tom. 6. pa. 40. Magnas quidem & admirandas res magnoque motu ac tremore dignas mihi , O homo , narras : Siquidem ita se habent , atque postquam fatis concesserimus , ac in cinerem & pulverem dissoluti fuerimus Resurrectio & Re-Generatio futura est . Prince Josaphat to his ghostly Father Barlaam in Damascens History chap. 9. Renovation or Restitution of all things , ( mentioned , Acts 3.21 . ) say those that interpret most warily and probably ; When the (3) (3) R●m. 8.21 . Creature now groaning under it , shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God , In this (4) (4) 2 Pet. 3 13. Heaven and Earth ) ( purified ) there dwelling righteousness , and the Tabernacle of God placed with men , and he shall dwell with them and be their God , and they shall be his people , and so shall bee wiped away all teares from their eyes : as Apocalipse 21.2 , 3. For , Peter had said before , Master we have left all and followed thee , what shall we have therefore ( hereafter ) ver. 27. ) Jesus answers , ( as lifting up their eyes to the day of Judgement presently , and that future wonderful consideration of things and compensation ) ye that have followed me ! Verily I say unto you , ye that have followed me , ( in this Generation , here ) shall ( hereafter , in that which is to come ) receive abundant remuneration , For in the Regeneration ( for (5) (5) Illud verò in regeneratione , re●erri potest vel ad praecedentia , Qui sequuti estis me in regeneratione , vel ad sequentia , in regeneratione quum sederit filius hominis , &c. Duplex autem est regeneratio . una animorum in praesenti vitae , administrata per Evangelii praedicationem , &c. Altera est corporum , status futurae vita , quem Paulus vocat Redemptionem corporis nestri , Rom. 8.23 . — Hanc Petrus Acts 3.21 . vocat tempus restaurationis omnium . De hac regeneratione hic loquitur Christus , & hoc sensu ad sequentia referendum est , in regeneratione quum sederit , &c. Nova Gloss. ordinat . ad Matth. 1928. so the words are to be set together and construed , not as commonly , ye that have followed me in the regeneration ( in this world ) shall receive Thus and Thus amends hereafter in the next life , But ) ye that have so followed me with losse of all things here , shall in the (1) (1) Rectius ad sequens comma referuntur hae voces . Grotius ad loc. So Beza both read himself and had observed it to be read in five ancient Copies , conform to what hec acknowledgeth abroad . So Musculus , and Marlorate , and Maldonate , and the Fathers . Chrysost. Hom. 56. in Matth. Tom. 1. pa. 691. Hieron . ad Matth. 19. Tom. 6. pa. 40. Bernard . in Declamat . col. 1006. Augustin . lib. 20. de Civ Dei . cap. 5. & 6. lib. 2. contra Julian : ca. 8. & lib 3. contra duas Epist. Pelag cap 3. &c. The Syriack gives , in seculo futuro , which cannot but relate to time to come . Regeneration or Restitution of all things , in that world when all is passed away , and old things become new , receive large amends : And when the Son of man shall sit on his Throne ( whom now ye forsake not in his lownesse or poverty ) then shall ye also ( in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or new mold of things ) sit upon your several glorious thrones , and ( as your number fits well ) judge the twelve Tribes of your Nation of Israel . This was amends enough ; likeliest to be promised , was here promised , and so ( nor the other place ) making any thing for present regeneration or change of Soul by being born of God , ( though the word I confess be exact for it ; ) which word ( in which sense ) is ( I said ) seldome found in Scripture , ( perhaps not above twice or thrice ) nor the thing ( save by consequence and insinuation ) much oftner ; for certain , here 's no Born Again ( as before ) in this place . Yet , because the text is commonly so interpreted and expounded , and emphatically and plainly in ours allowed so translated , which the governing original may bear too by the help of implication not the very remotest , I am content , rather by occasion of it , then grounding my self upon it , to continue my thoughts on this argument : ( for , ground to raise any thing upon I would have always firm , such as none can except against , nor will fail in time of trial : ) And whereas here are two things , a Birth supernal , and the necessity of it , shall begin and end with the former , Except a man be born again , or from above .