sermon 18 the marks of the new birth so is everyone that is born of the spirit john 3 8 how is every one that is was born of the spirit that is born again born of god what is meant by the being born again that being born of god or being born of the spirit what is implied in being the son or a child of god or having the spirit of adoption that these privileges by the free mercy of god are ordinarily annexed to baptism which is then termed by our lord in the preceding verse being born of water and of the spirit we know but we would know what these privileges are what is the new birth perhaps it is not needful to give a definition of this seeing scripture gives none but the question is of the deepest concern to every child of man since except a man be born again born of the spirit he cannot see the kingdom of god i propose to lay down the marks of it in a plainest manner just as i find them laid down in scripture the first of these and the foundation of all the rest is faith so saint paul ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus so saint john t to them gave he the power exclusion right or privileges might rather be translated to become the ch sons of god even to them that believe on his name which were born when they believed not of blood nor the will of the flesh not by natural generation nor of the will of man like those children adopted by men in whom no inward is thereby wrought but of god and again in his general epistle whosoever believeth that jesus is the christ is born of god but it's not a barely notional or speculative faith that is here spoken of by the apostles it is not a bare assent to this proposition jesus is the christ nor indeed to all the propositions contained in our creed or in the old and new testament it is not merely an ascent to any or all these credible things as credible to say this were to say which who could hear that the devils were born of god where they have this faith they trembling believe both that jesus is the christ and that all scripture having been given by inspiration of god is true as god is true it is not only an ascent to divine truth upon the testimony of god or upon the evidence of miracles for they also heard the words of his mouth and knew him to be a faithful and true witness they could not but receive the testimony he gave both of himself and of the father which sent him and so likewise the mighty works which he did and that's believed that he came forth from god yet notwithstanding this faith they are still reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day for all this is no more than a dead faith the true living christian faith which whosoever hath is born of god is not only a cent an act of understanding but a disposition which god has wrought in their heart a sure trust and confidence in god that through the merits of christ his sins are forgiven and he reconciles the favor of god this implies that a man first renounced himself that in order to be found in christ to be accepted through him he totally rejects all confidence in the flesh that having nothing to pay having no trust in his own works or righteousness of any kind he comes to god as a lost miserable self-destroyed self-condemned undone helpless sinner as one whose mouth is utterly stopped and who is altogether guilty before god such a sense of sin commonly called despair by those who speak evil of the things they know not together with a full conviction such as no words can express that of christ only cometh our salvation an earnest desire of that salvation must precede a living faith a trust in him for who for us paid our ransom by his death and fulfilled the law in his life this faith then whereby we are born of god is not only a belief of all the articles of our faith but also a true confidence of the mercy of god through our lord jesus christ an immediate and constant fruit of this faith whereby we are born of god a fruit which we can in no wise be separated from it no not for an hour is power over sin power over outward sin of every kind over every evil word and work for wheresoever the blood of christ is thus applied it purges the conscience from dead works and over inward sin for it purifyeth the heart from every unholy desire and temper this fruit of faith saint paul as largely described in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the romans how shall we saith he who by faith are dead to sin live any longer therein our old man is crucified with christ that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin likewise rocking me yourself to be dead unto sin but alive unto god through jesus christ our lord let not sin therefore reign even in your mortal body but yield yourselves unto god as those that are alive from the dead for sin shall not have dominion over you god be thanked that you were the servants of sin but being made free the plain meaning is god be thanked that you that though you were in times past the servant of sin yet now being free from sin ye are become the servants of righteousness the same invaluable privilege of the sons of god is strongly asserted by saint john particularly with regard to the former branch of it namely power over outward sin after he had been crying out as one astonished at the depth of the riches of the goodness of god behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of god beloved now we are the sons of god and it doth not yet appear but we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and he soon adds whoever is born of god doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot commit sin because he is born of god but some men will say true whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin habitually habitually whence is that i read it not it is not written in the book god plainly saith he doth not commit sin and thou addest habitually who art thou and mendes the oracles of god that add us to the words of this book beware i beseech thee unless god add to thee all the plagues that are written therein especially when the comments thou add us as such as quite swallows up the text so that by this methodia planes this artful method of deceiving the precious promise is utterly lost by this kubaya anthropone this trickling and shuffling of men the word of god is made of not effect o beware thou that thus take us from the words of this book taking away the whole meaning and spirit from them leave us only what may indeed be termed a dead letter lest god take away thy part out of the book of life suffer with the apostle to interpret his own words by the whole tenor of his discourse in the fifth verse of this chapter he has said you know that he christ was manifested to take away our sins and in him was no sin what is the inference he draws from this whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth has not seen him neither knows him to this enforcement of this important doctrine he promises unhighly necessary caution little children let no man deceive you for many will endeavor so to do to persuade you that you may be unrighteous that you may commit sin and yet be children of god he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous he that committeth sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning then follows whosoever is born of god doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of god in this as the apostle the children of god are manifest and the children of the devil by this plain mark the committing or not committing sin are they distinguished from each other to the same effect are those words in his fifth chapter we know that whosoever is born of god sinneth not but he that is begotten of god keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth them not another fruit of this living faith is peace for being justified by faith having all our sins blotted out we have peace with god through our lord jesus christ this indeed our lord himself the night before his death solemnly bequeath to all his followers peace saith he i leave with you you who believe in god and believe also in me my peace i give unto you not as the world giveth i give unto you let not your heart be troubled now that let it be afraid and again these things have i spoken unto you that in me ye may have peace this is that peace of god which passeth all understanding that serenity of soul which it hath not entered into the heart of a natural man to conceive and which is not possible for even the spiritual man to utter and it is a peace which all the powers of the earth and hell are unable to take from him waves and storms beat upon it but they shake it not for it is founded upon a rock it keepeth the hearts and minds of the children of god at all times and in all places whether they are in ease or in pain in sickness or health in abundance or want they are happy in god in every state they have learned to be content yea to give thanks unto god through jesus christ being well assured that whosoever is is best because it is his will concerning them so that in all the this vicissitudes of their life their heart standeth theft believing in the lord a section a second scriptural mark of those that are born of god is hope thus saint peter speaking to all the children of god who were then scattered abroad saith blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again into a lively hope alpeda zosan a lively or living hope saith the apostle because there is also a dead hope as well as a dead faith a hope which is not from god but from the enemy of god and man as evidently appears by its fruits for as is the offspring of pride so it is the parent of every evil word and work whereas every man that hath in him this living hope is holy as he that calleth him is holy every man that can truly say to his brethren in christ beloved now we are the sons of god and we shall see him as he is purify himself even as he is pure this hope implies first the testimony of our own spirit or conscience that we walk in simplicity and godly sincerity secondly the testimony of the spirit of god bearing witness with or to our spirit that we are the children of god and if children then heirs heirs of god and joint heirs with christ let us well observe what is here taught us by god himself touching this glorious privilege of his children who is it that is set here said to bear witness not our spirit only but another even the spirit of god he it is who beareth witness with our spirit what is what is it he bears witness of that we are the children of god and if children than heirs heirs with god and joint heirs with christ if so be that we suffer with him if we deny ourselves if we take up our cross daily if we cheerfully endure persecution or approach for his sake that we might also be glorified together and in whom dot the spirit of god bear this witness in all who are the children of god by this very argument does the apostle prove in the preceding verses that they are so as many saith he as are led by the spirit of god they are the sons of god for you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba father it follows the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of god the variation of the phrase in the 15th verse is worthy of our observation you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba father ye as many as are the sons of god have in virtue of your sonship receive that self-same spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba father we the apostles prophets and teachers for so the word may not improperly be understood we through whom you have believed the ministers of christ and the stewards of the mysteries of god as we and you have one lord so we have one spirit as we have one faith so we have one hope also we and you are sealed with one spirit of promise the earnest of your and of our inheritance the same spirit bearing witness with you with your and with our spirit that we are the children of god and thus is the scripture fulfilled blessed are they which mourn for they shall be comforted for it is easy to believe that though sorrow may precede this witness of god's spirit with our spirit indeed must in some degree while we groan under our fear and in a sense of the wrath of god abiding on us yet as soon as any man feels in himself his sorrow is turned into joy whatsoever his pain may have been before yet as soon as that hour is come he remembereth the anguish no more for joy that he is born of god it may be many of you have now sorrow because you are aliens from the commonwealth of israel because you are conscious to yourself that you have not this spirit that you are without hope and without god in the world but when the comforter is come then your heart shall rejoice yeah your joy shall be full and that joy no man taketh from you we joy in god will you say through our lord jesus christ in whom by whom we have now received the atonement by whom we have access into this grace this state of grace of favor or reconciliation with god wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of god ye saith peter whom god hath begotten again unto lively hope are kept by the power of god unto salvation wherein he greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be you are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith may be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of jesus christ in whom though now you see him not ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory unspeakable indeed it is not for the tongue of man to describe this joy in the holy ghost it is the hidden manna which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it but this we know it not only remains but overflows in the depth of affliction are the constellations of god small with his children would all earthly comforts fail not so but when the sufferings most abound the constellations of his spirit do much more abound in so much that the sons of god laugh at destruction when it cometh at want pain hell in the grave as knowing him who hath the keys of death and hell and will shortly cast him into the bottomless pit as hearing even now the great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of god is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and god himself shall be with them and their god and be their god and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away a third scriptural mark of those that are born of god and the greatest of all is love even the love of god should abroad in their hearts by the holy ghost which is given unto them because they are sons god hath sent forth the spirit of his son in their hearts crying abba father by the spirit continually looking up to god as their reconciled and loving father they cry to him for their daily bread for all things needful whether for their souls or bodies they continually pour out their hearts before him knowing they have the petitions which they ask of him their delight is in him he has the joy of their heart their shield and their exceeding great reward the desire of their soul is towards him it is their meat and drink to do his will and they are satisfied as with marrow and fatness while their mouth praiseth him with joyful lips and in this sense also everyone who loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him the spirit his spirit rejoiceth in god his savior he loveth the lord jesus christ and sincerity he has also joined unto the lord as as to be one spirit his soul hangeth upon him and choose of him as altogether lovely the chiefest among ten thousand he knoweth he feeleth what that means my beloved is mine and i am his thou art fairer than the children of men full of grace are thy lips because god hath anointed thee forever the necessary fruit of this love of god is the love of our neighbor of every soul which god hath made not accepting our enemies not accepting those who are now despitefully in using and persecuting us a love whereby we love every man as ourselves as we love our own souls may our lord has expressed it still more strongly teaching us to love one another even as he hath loved us according to the commandment written in our in the hearts of all those that love god is no other than this as i have loved you so love you one another now herein perceive we the love of god and that he laid down his life for us we ought then as the apostle justly infers to lay down our lives for our brethren if we feel ourselves ready to do this then we do truly love our neighbor then we know that we have passed from death unto life because we thus love the brethren hereby know we that we are born of god that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his loving spirit for love is of god and everyone that thus loveth is born of god and knoweth god but some may possibly ask does not the apostle say this is the love of god that we shall keep his commandments yay and this is the love of our neighbor also in the same sense as the love of god but what would you infer from hence that the keeping the outward commandments is all that is implied in loving god with all your hearts with all your mind with all your soul and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself and the love of god is not an affection of the soul but merely an outward service and that the love of our neighbor is not a disposition of heart but barely a course of outward works to mention so while an interpretation of the apostles words is sufficiently to confuse it the plain indisputable meaning of the text is this is the sign or proof of the love of god of our keeping the first and greatest commandment to keep all the rest of the commandments for true love if it be once shed abroad in our heart will constrain us so to do since whosoever loves god with all his heart cannot but serve him with all his strength a second fruit then of the love of god so far as it can be distinguished from it is universal obedience to him we love and conformity to his will obedience to all the commands of god internal and external obedience of the heart and of the life in every temper and in all manner of conversation and one of the tempers most obviously implied herein is the being zealous of good works the hungering and thirsting to do good in every possible kind unto all men the rejoicing to spend and be spent for them for every child of man not looking for any recompense in this world but only in the resurrection of the just thus i plainly laid down those marks of the new birth which i finally done in scripture thus death god himself answered that weighty question what is it to be born of god such if the appeal be made to the oracles of god is everyone that's born of the spirit this it is in the judgment of the spirit of god to be a son or a child of god it is so to believe in god through christ as not to commit sin and to enjoy at all times in all places that peace of god which passes all understanding it is so to hope in god through the son of his love to have not only the testimony of a good conscience but also the spirit of god bearing witness with your spirits that you are the children of god ones cannot but spring this rejoicing in him through whom you have received the atonement it is so to love god who hath who hath thus loved you as you never did love any creature so you are constrained to love all men as yourselves with a love not only ever burning in your hearts but flaming out in all your actions and conversations and making your whole life one labor of love one continued obedience to those commandments be merciful as god is mercy be holy as i the lord and holy be perfect as your father which is in heaven is perfect who then are ye that are thus born of god you know the things which are given to you of god you you well know that you are the children of god and can assure your hearts before him and every one of you who has observed these words cannot but feel and know of a truth whether at this hour answer to god and not to man you are thus a child of god or no the question is not what you was made in baptism do not evade but what are you now is the spirit of adoption now in your heart to your own heart let the appeal be made i ask not whether you was born of water and of the spirit but whether you are now the temple of the holy ghost which dwelleth in you i allow that you was circumcised with the circumcision of christ as saint paul emphatically terms baptism but does the spirit of christ and the glory now rest upon you else your circumcision has become uncircumcision say not then in your heart i was once baptized therefore i am now the child of christ alas that consequence will by no means hold how many are the baptized gluttons and drunkards the baptized liars and common swearers the baptized railers and evil speakers the baptized whoremongers thieves extortioners what thank you are these now the children of god verily i say unto you who so whosoever you are unto whom any one of the preceding characters belongs you are of your father the devil and the works of your father you do unto you i call the name of him whom you crucify afresh and in his words to your circumcised predecessors ye serpents a generation of vipers how can you escape the damnation of hell how indeed except you be born again for you are now dead in trespasses and sins to say then that you cannot be born again that there is no new birth but in baptism is to seal you all under so you honor damnation to consign you to hell without help without hope and perhaps some may think this is just and right in their zeal for the lord of hosts they may say yay cut off the sinners the amalekites let those gibeonites be utterly destroyed they deserve no less no nor i nor you mine and your dessert as well as theirs is hell it is the mere mercy the free undeserved mercy that we are not now in unquenchable fire you will say we are washed we were born again of water in the spirit so were they this therefore hinders not at all but that ye may now be even as they know ye not that what is highly esteemed of men is an abomination in the sight of god come forth these saints of the world ye that are honored of men and see who will cast the first stone at them at these wretches not fit to live upon the earth these common harlots adulterers murderers only learn yet first what that meaneth he that hateth his brother is a murderer he that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with god verily verily i say unto you ye also must be born again except he also be born again ye cannot see the kingdom of god lean no more on the staff of that broken reed that ye were born again in baptism who denies that you were made the child of god and heirs to the kingdom of heaven but notwithstanding this you are now children of the devil therefore you must be born again and let not satan put it into your heart to covalent the word when the thing is clear ye have heard what are the marks of the children of god all ye who have thrown them not on your souls baptized or unbaptized must needs receive them or without doubt you will perish everlastingly and if you have been baptized your only hope is this that those who were made the children of god by baptism but are now the children of the devil may yet again receive power to become the sons of god that they may receive again what they have lost even the spirit of adoption crying in their hearts abba father amen lord jesus may everyone who prepareth his heart yet again to seek thy face receive again that spirit of adoption and cry out abba father let him now again have power so to believe in thy name as to become a child of god as to know and feel he hath redemption in thy blood even the forgiveness of sins and that he cannot commit sin because he is born of god let him be now begotten again unto a living hope so as to purify himself as thou art pure and because he is a son let the spirit of love and the glory rest upon him cleansing him from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and teaching him to per perfect holiness in the fear of god you