Thursday, April 2, 2015

Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 72

Regeneration (continued)

In regeneration nature is not ruined, but rectified. The convert is the same man, but new inside. The faculties of his soul are not destroyed, but they are refined; the same viol, but new tuned. Christ gave not the blind man new eyes, but a new sight to the old ones. Christ did not give Lazarus a new body, but enlivened his old body. So God in conversion doth not bestow a new understanding, but a new light to the old; not a new soul, but a new life to the old one. (George Swinnock)

There may be several things which may help to make the life fair in the eyes of men; but nothing will make it amiable in the eyes of God, unless the heart be changed and renewed. All the medicines which can be applied, without the sanctifying work of the Spirit, though they may cover, they can never cure the corruption and diseases of the soul. (George Swinnock)

Nor is regeneration an addition to nature. Christ was not an addition to Adam, but a new Head by Himself. Grace grows not upon the old stock. It is not a piece of cloth sewn to an old garment, but the one is cast aside, the other wholly taken on. It is not a new varnish, nor do old things remain under a new paint, nor a plaster lid upon old; a new creature, not a mended creature. (Stephen Charnock)

Repentance is a change of the mind, and regeneration is a change of the old man. (Thomas Adams)

Adoption gives us the privilege of sons, regeneration the nature of sons. (Stephen Charnock)

Regeneration is a universal change of the whole man. It is as large in renewing as sin was in defacing. (Stephen Charnock)

Reader, make sure of this inward change; otherwise, though thy conversation may be specious, it can never be gracious, nor thy profession durable. I wonder not that many professing disown the Lord Jesus, when they are ignorant why they at any time owned Him. He that takes up religion on trust, will lay it down when it brings him into trouble. He that follows Christ, he knoweth not why, will forsake Him, he knoweth not how. (George Swinnock)

Thou must be righteous and holy, before thou canst live righteously and holy. (William Gurnall)


No comments:

Post a Comment