35 that he would be sure to have all things right and well there, by that time he had brought things to their final result and issue? We may be confident he will make sure work now, and have nothing in this kingdom, but what shall agree with the design and purpose of it, and be homogeneous to it, and all of a piece. And to suppose he should have such a design as this, and suffer himself to be foiled and baffled in it, is a most unreasonable and monstrous supposition.

3. It would be altogether unsuitable to the laws and offices of this kingdom, whether in the present or future state of it. God is to be taken for their God, which is the first and most fundamental of all his laws : "Thou shalt have no other God before me." This is indeed the swearing allegiance to this great King upon their entrance into this kingdom. Who can ever do this who is not born to it? The carnal mind is enmity against God; (cannot endure his government:) for it is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. Rom. 8. 7. It is never possible any can join themselves to God as their God, without having their minds spiritualized and refined into such a temper as can agree to him. There will be perpetual tumultuations and regrets against his authority and laws, till this transforming work hath passed upon them. And then afterwards the whole course of such persons walk and deportment, must be a continued course of subjection and obedience. They must bear themselves toward God as their chosen God, and live entirely to him. And sure there needs another spirit than what is natural to man : for they are in all their after course to walk in the Spirit, to worship in the Spirit, to pray in the Spirit, to do every thing they do, in the Spirit. How necessary is it, upon this account, to be born spirit of spirit? It is, and must be the eternal work of those who are of this kingdom, to love, and obey, and praise everlastingly. What is a carnal heart to such employment? The laws of this kingdom require` that these be the perpetual exercises of those who come into this kingdom. Carnality, should we suppose such a thing in this kingdom, must needs carry with it that enmity, which stands in direct opposition to love; that rebellion, which stands in opposition to obedience; that stupidity, which stands in opposition to praise. The greatness and excellencies which the subjects of this kingdom are eternally to praise, it were altogether impossible, a carnal mind, should look upon, without regretting; that he is so great, to whom they are so little.

4. It were most unsuitable to the grants and privileges of this kingdom. What is to be enjoyed in that kingdom, can never be enjoyed but upon this supposition, that they are born

of the Spirit. Think of the present privileges which are granted to the subjects of this kingdom;

(1.) They are brought into a state of liberty. He who is king in the kingdom, is not a king over slaves, but a free people; and indeed their freedom consists in this, that they are so willingly subject. A heathen could say so much, speaking in reference to a kingdom which God governs, according to his apprehensions of it: In regno nati sumus: Deo servire, regnare est. We are born in a kingdom, or into a kingdom, so it had been fuller to this purpose. There are none come into this kingdom, without being born into it, or attempered and suited to it. And he supposes the highest privilege of being in this kingdom is, in being subservient to God: "to serve God," says he;"that is to reign." We are kings in this kingdom, rather than subjects, in being subject to him. The apostle James has a magnificent expression, but most just, and not strained; the law which we are required to obey, he calls the royal law of liberty, chap. 1. 25. And the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, does make us free from the law of sin and death, Rom. 8. 2. The felicity and duty of the subjects in this kingdom herein meet in one and the same point: for whereas it is their duty not to serve sin; it is their privilege to be exempt from that vile servitude; and they themselves are brought to resent it as such when once the law of the Spirit of life has made them free. Oh! what an ease is it to have the yoke thrown off and to find a man's spirits so disentangled, as to be able to say; "I am not restrained, as I have sometimes been, from the love and communion of the blessed God; I am not depressed and borne down towards the earth as heretofore, when I should ascend and get up in lively affection to heaven. It is a most pleasant thing to feel liberty, and find one's self set free." This Spirit by which persons are thus born, makes them free as soon as they are born: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; that is, that Spirit which refines and transforms from glory unto glory: as the connexion lies, 2 Cor. 3. 17, 18. How inconsistent therefore must it needs be with those who remain still in the flesh, for such a one loves the bondage which it is a privilege to be freed from; and takes pleasure in his chains, and is proud of them. The case is with him as with that servant concerning whom the supposition is made in the law of Moses; that he should so love his master, as when the time of relaxation came, he would not go free. The gospel of Christ is the ministration of the Spirit, by which souls are begotten unto God; and whensoever any are by it made sons, they are made free. Therefore we read of this liberty as appropriate to the sons of God; for we are not to sup

pose, that God's own sons should be slaves. But the bond. age of slaves is preferred by carnal hearts, to the liberty of sons; and it will be always so till they become sons; and they will never be sons, till they are born again, and till it can be said of them, there is something produced in them which is spirit born of the Spirit.

(2.) Tranquillity is a great privilege belonging to this kingdom. One who is not thus born of the Spirit hath no seed or principle of peace in himself. To be spiritually minded is life and peace, and this kingdom is "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." But they who are still in the flesh, and not born of the Spirit, have that still in their temper and constitution, which is inconsistent with peace; and which, if we should suppose commonly to obtain in that kingdom, would as much shatter and discompose things there, as we find peace is from time to time disturbed in this lower world. What is it which hath made this world so troublesome a region, but only the carnality of it? What is it but the lust of men, which occasions the wars and tumults and commotions, which fill the world with noise and blood from age to age? It would even be so above too, if you should suppose that persons should be generally brought thither, who were not born spirit of spirit.

(3.) Communion with God is the great privilege of the subjects of this kingdom; in some degree in this present state, and perfectly in the perfect state of that kingdom. But do we think that one who is not born spirit of spirit, will ever care to converse with God eternally and always? Alas! how little do they care for it now! How little do they love the divine presence! How wearisome a thing is an hour's attendance upon God, in a duty, to a carnal heart! How would such a one behave himself, to be eternally in that presence, unto which he is so averse! Would it be a heaven to him? Indeed there is nothing which hath made hell any where but sin; and if it were possible that sin could get into heaven, it would create a hell there too.

5. It would be most unsuitable to the community, and all the fellow subjects, if any should come into that kingdom, who were not thus born. It was evidently the design to have them all of a piece, who should have place together, in this kingdom. When that work was designed to be set on foot which was preparatory and fundamental to the perfect and glorious state of this kingdom, it was thought fit that he who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, should be all of one : (Heb. 2. 11.) that is, all reduced to conformity to one and the same original. He himself who is the Mediator, is the holy and just One; these are the characters by which we find him discrimi

nately mentioned; and all who are to be gathered to him, must all be one with him in this thing, and he must be the common Sanctifier of them all; that is, by the Spirit by which they are thus begotten and born; that so they may agree and be suitable to him. And being so, it is manifest, there must be the same ground and medium of common agreement among all, who should be united to him, if they must all be made to agree to him who is holy, it cannot be but they must all agree to one another, being holy and sanctified ones. Heaven is called the "inheritance of them who are sanctified ;" and certainly the communion which they are there to have with one another, is to be in the highest and perfect sense, the communion of saints. And it being requisite that there should be an agreement and oneness among all the subjects of this kingdom, this agreement was not to be brought about, considering this kingdom must consist of persons who were unlike, but by reducing them who were fallen from that perfection which originally belonged to their natures, to a conformity to the rest. Therefore you find this said concerning those who are to be adjoined and brought into it, that they thereby actually come unto the general assembly, an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and so constitute and make up the church of the first-born, Heb. 12. 22, 23. You must note that first-born here is of the plural number, and so it signifies a church consisting of first-born ones, and must needs have reference to this same birth here spoken of in the text. It was not otherwise possible, that there should be an agreement or conformity when there was once an unlikeness before, but by reducing some to the rest; they who were fallen and lapsed from their original excellence, to a conformity to them who stood. And therefore those angels who stood, remain as a standard and pattern, to which all who are afterward to be adjoined to this kingdom, must be made conformable. As soon as they are got into the account of firstborn ones, or are the first-fruits of his creatures, (Jam. 1. 18.) the flower and most excellent and noble part of his creation; they are said to be come to them. The church made up of such, in conjunction with those glorious spirits, the angels who stood, comes to be a uniform church and kingdom. But if they should not be so conformed, it would be prejudicial both to the order and felicity of this kingdom. How both uncomely and uncomfortable a thing, if there should not be this conformity! How uncomely would it be, that there should be some in this kingdom, rejoicing in the excellency and glory of their eternal King; and some secretly envying him, and wishing they could tell how to unking him! How indecorous, when the gene

rality are engaged in gladsome triumphant songs of praise; for some to lower and hang the head, and dislike the very thing for which others do give thanks! And how inconsistent would it be with the felicity of the subjects of that kingdom, that there should be such jars and discord among them? Certainly it must be, and could not but be a torture and torment to them; and no doubt every thing of that kind must be excluded heaven, the perfect state of that kingdom. If there should be any one found there, who should have this for his known sense; that he cannot love God, or like his government; he cannot be pleased that he is Lord and King, it could not but be a torture unto the rest. When the kingdom is resigned by the Mediator, into the Father's hand, (1 Cor. 15. 24.) and he is to be all in all; filling every soul with his fulness; all desires and wills satiating and satisfying themselves in him, in the midst of all these pleasures, it could not but be a tormenting thing, that there should be any who can take no felicity in him; who dislike his person, and wish him off the throne; who are offended at the purity of that state, and at that, wherein all the rest do place their common felicity. It would be very uncomely and uncomfortable to have any dissensions in that kingdom; and therefore it can never be admitted, and is apparently necessary, that whoever comes into it, enter by this new birth.

6. It would be unsuitable to the course and way of government in this kingdom, whether you look upon it in its present, or future or perfect state. Consider the way of government in this present state. Why here God governs in a way somewhat suitable to the methods of government by men; that is by laws and public edicts, with threats and promises inserted into them; that men may know what they are to do, and what not; and what they are to expect by way of reward if they do well, and what by way of punishment, if they do amiss. This course of government is suited to the reasonable nature of man, and does well as it is managed by some men over others; because they who are to be the governed part, do sensibly perceive how much it is in the power of the governing part, either to do them good or hurt, according as they obey or rebel. So that men's senses are in this case their instructors, of how great concernment it is to conform themselves to the laws; and how dangerous a thing to attempt the violation of them. But consider how these same methods applied to men for their government, by an invisible Ruler, can signify in this case; or what their success commonly is. There are as plain proposals of the law of God to men, as any can be by earthly rulers. It is impossible that human laws can be made plainer, than the divine laws are,