Milton

¶1Supernaturalis renovationis ratio non solum naturales hominis facultates recte nimirum intelligendi libereque volendi plenius adhuc restituit, sed etiam internum præsertim hominem quasi novum creat, novasque etiam facultates supernaturales renovatorum mentibus divinitus infundit; estque REGENERATIO et INSITIO IN CHRISTUM.

¶2REGENERATIO est qua PER VERBUM ET SPIRITUM HOMO INTERIOR VETERE ABOLITO RURSUS TOTA MENTE AD IMAGINEM DEI VELUTI CREATURA NOVA EX DEO REGENERATUR; TOTUSQUE HOMO TAM CORPORE QUAM ANIMO AD CULTUM DEI BONAQUE OPERA SANCTIFICATUR. Joan. iii. 3, 5. nisi quis genitus sit iterum, non potest videre regnum Dei. nisi quis fuerit genitus ex aqua et Spiritu. 1 Pet. i. 23. regeniti non ex semine corruptibili, sed incorruptibili.

¶3EX DEO REGENERATUR: Patre nimirum; nemo enim gignit, nisi Pater. Psal. li. 12. animum mundum crea mihi, Deus, et spiritum firmum renova intra me. Ezech. xi. 19. spiritum novum ponam in medio vestri—. Joan. i. 12, 13. dedit iis hoc jus ut filii Dei sint facti—: qui non ex sanguine—, sed ex Deo geniti sunt. et iii. 5, 6. nisi quis fuerit genitus ex aqua et Spiritu;— hic Spiritus pro virtute divina Patris videtur intelligendus: nam et Pater Spiritus est; et, ut modo dixi, nemo gignit nisi Pater. Cap. xvii. 17. sanctifica eos tua veritate—. Rom. viii. 11, 16. p. 243sed si Spiritus ejus qui suscitavit Jesum ex mortuis—. ille ipse Spiritus testatur una cum spiritu nostro nos esse filios Dei. Gal. iv. 6. quoniam estis filii, misit Deus Spiritum Filii sui in corda vestra, clamantem, Abba, Pater. Eph. ii. 4, 5. Deus, ut qui dives sit misericordia, etiam nos— una vivificavit cum Christo. 1 Thess. v. 23. ipse Deus pacis sanctificet vos totos—. Tit. iii. 5. ex sua misericordia servavit nos per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti. Heb. xiii. 20. Deus pacis, qui—, absolutos vos reddat in omni opere bono—. 1 Pet. i. 3. benedictus esto Deus et Pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui ex multa sua misericordia regenuit nos—. Jacob. i. 17, 18. is quia voluit progenuit nos.

¶4PER VERBUM ET SPIRITUM. Joan. xvii. 17. sanctifica eos tua veritate, sermo tuus veritas est. Jacob. i. 18. progenuit nos sermone veritatis. Eph. v. 26. purificans lavacro aquæ per verbum. 1 Cor. xii. 13. in uno Spiritu nos omnes in unum corpus baptizati sumus. Tit. iii. 5. per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti.

¶5HOMO INTERIOR. Joan. iii. 5, 6. quod genitum est ex Spiritu, spiritus est. Rom. vii. 22. quod ad interiorem hominem.

¶6VETERE ABOLITO. Rom. vi. 6. illud scientes veterem nostrum hominem cum eo crucifixum esse, ut aboleatur corpus peccati. et v. 11. ita etiam vos colligite, vos tum mortuos esse peccato, tum vero vivere Deo per Christum Jesum. 2 Cor. v. 17. vetera præterierunt; ecce nova facta sunt omnia. Col. iii. 9, 10, 11. cum exuti sitis vetere homine cum factis ipsius, et induti sitis novo—.

¶7TOTA MENTE: intellectu nimirum et voluntate. Psal. li. 12. animum mundum crea mihi, Deus. Ezech. xi. 19, 20. spiritum novum ponam in medio vestri—. indam iis cor carneum—. et xxxvi. 26. dabo vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum ponam in medio vestri. Rom. xii. 2. per renovationem mentis vestræ ad hoc, ut probetis—. Eph. iv. 23. renovati spiritu mentis vestræ. Philipp. ii. 13. Deus est qui efficit in nobis, et ipsum velle, p. 244et ipsum agere pro bene placito: quænam autem est ista voluntatis renovatio, nisi ejus ad libertatem pristinam restitutio?

¶8AD IMAGINEM DEI. Eph. iv. 24. novum hominem, qui secundum Deum conditus est ad justitiam et sanctimoniam veram. Col. iii. 9, 10, 11. qui renovatur in agnitionem congruentem imagini ejus—. 2 Pet. i. 4. ut per hæc efficeremini divinæ consortes naturæ, elapsi ex corruptione quæ est in mundo per cupiditatem. Quid autem amplius postulare a Deo nostra optio potest, quam ut liberi a servitute peccati, ad imaginemque divinam restituti possimus esse salvi si velimus? Volemus nempe certe si liberi sumus: sin forte quis nolit, accusare neminem nisi semetipsum potest. At vero, si voluntas regenerati libera facta non est, non renovamur, sed irrenovati cogimur ad salutem.

¶9NOVA CREATURA. 2 Cor. v. 17. si quis est in Christo, nova est creatio. Gal. vi. 15. nova creatura. Eph. iv. 24. novus homo. Col. iii. 9, 10, 11. novus ille. Hinc nonnulli duas regenerationis partes mortificationem et vivificationem minus accurate statuunt: mortificatio enim neque pars neque species esse potest regenerationis; sed partim antecedit, ut corruptio generationem, partim sequitur et ad resipiscentiam potius referenda est: et vivificatio resurrectionem nostram haud rarius quam regenerationem notat. Joan. v. 21. sicut enim Pater suscitat mortuos et vivificat, ita et Filius quos vult vivificat—. v. 25. mortui audient vocem Filii Dei, et qui audierint, vivent.

¶10TOTUS HOMO—. 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. an ignoratis corpus vestrum esse templum Spiritus Sancti, qui est in vobis—? 1 Thess. v. 23. ipse autem Deus pacis sanctificet vos totos, et integer vester spiritus et anima et corpus inculpate in adventum Domini nostri Jesu Christi conserventur.

¶11AD BONA OPERA. 1 Joan. ii. 29. si scitis eum justum esse, nostis quicunque exercet justitiam ex ipso natum esse. Ephes. ii. 10. Ipsius sumus opus, conditi in Christo Jesu ad opera bona—.

¶12SANCTIFICATUR. 1 Joan. iii. 9. quisquis natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit; quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet: nec potest peccare, eo quod ex Deo natus est. et v. 18. quisquis natus est ex Deo, non peccat; sed qui genitus est ex Deo conservat seipsum, et malignus ille non attingit eum. Hinc regeneratio alio nomine sanctificatio dicitur, et quidem proprio; nam regeneratio metaphorica potius est. 1 Cor. vi. 11. et hæc eratis quidem, sed abluti estis, sed sanctificati estis, sed justificati estis. 1 Thess. iv. 7. non vocavit vos Deus ad impuritatem, sed ad sanctificationem. et 2 Thess. ii. 13. quod elegerit vos Deus ab initio ad salutem per sanctificationem Spiritus—. 1 Pet. i. 2. ex præcognitione Dei Patris ad sanctificationem Spiritus. Deut. xxx. 6. circumcidet Jehova Deus tuus animum tuum ad diligendum Jehovam—. Et nonnunquam Filio tribuitur. Eph. v. 25, 26. Christus dilexit ecclesiam, et semetipsum exposuit pro ea, ut eam sanctificaret—; purificans lavacro aquæ per verbum. Tit. ii. 14. ut redimeret nos ab omni iniquitate, et purificaret sibi ipsi (redemptori nempe et regi nostro) populum peculiarem.

¶13Sanctificatio autem nonnunquam late sumitur pro quavis electione aut separatione vel gentis universæ ad cultum externum, vel hominis cujusquam ad aliquod munus. Exod. xix. 10. ut sanctifices eos hodie et cras. et xxxi. 13. ad cognoscendum me Jehovam esse qui sanctifico vos. Ezech. xx. 12. idem. Num. xi. 18. sanctificate vos in crastinum. Jer. i. 5. ab utero sanctificavi te, prophetam ipsis gentibus constitui te. Luc. i. 15. Spiritu Sancto implebitur etiam a ventre matris suæ.

¶14Regenerationis seu sanctificationis causa externa est mors et resurrectio Christi. Eph. ii. 4, 5. cum in offensis mortui essemus, una vivificavit cum Christo. et v. 25. semetipsum exposuit pro ecclesia, ut eam sanctificaret—. Heb. ix. 14. quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui—, emundabit conscientiam vestram a mortuis operibus ad colendum Deum vivum? et x. 10. sanctificati sumus per oblationem corporis Jesu Christi. 1 Pet. i. 2, 3. ad sanctificationem Spiritus per obedientiam et aspersionem sanguinis Jesu Christi—; qui regenuit nos in spem vivam per resurrectionem Jesu Christi p. 246ex mortuis. 1 Joan. i. 7. sanguis Jesu Christi purificat nos ab omni peccato.

¶15Et fidei quoque sanctificatio attribuitur. Act. xv. 9. fide purificatis cordibus eorum. Non quo fides sanctificationem præcedat, sed quo sanctificatione progressus faciente causa ejus instrumentalis atque adjutrix sit.

¶1The intent of SUPERNATURAL RENOVATION is not only to restore man still more completely than before to the use of his natural faculties, as regards his power to form right judgement, and to exercise free will; but to create afresh, as it were, the inward man, and infuse from above new and supernatural faculties into the minds of the renovated. This is called REGENERATION, and the regenerate are said to be PLANTED IN CHRIST.

¶2REGENERATION is THAT CHANGE OPERATED BY THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT, WHEREBY THE OLD MAN BEING DESTROYED, THE INWARD MAN IS REGENERATED BY GOD AFTER HIS OWN IMAGE, IN ALL THE FACULTIES OF HIS MIND, INSOMUCH THAT HE BECOMES AS IT WERE A NEW CREATURE, AND THE WHOLE MAN IS SANCTIFIED BOTH IN BODY AND SOUL, FOR THE SERVICE OF GOD, AND THE PERFORMANCE OF GOOD WORKS. John iii. 3, 5. except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ... except a man be born of water and the Spirit. 1 Pet. i. 23. being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.

¶3IS REGENERATED BY GOD; namely, the Father; for no one generates, except the Father. Psal. li. 10. create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Ezek. xi. 19. I will put a new spirit within you. John i. 12, 13. to them gave he power to become the sons of God ... which were born, not of blood ... but of God. iii. 5, 6. p. 343except a man be born of water and the Spirit—; where by the Spirit appears to be meant the divine power of the Father; for the Father is a Spirit; and, as was said before, no one generates except the Father. xvii. 17. sanctify them through thy truth. Rom. viii. 11, 16. but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead—: the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Gal. iv. 6. because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Eph. ii. 4, 5. God who is rich in mercy ... hath quickened us together with Christ. 1 Thess. v. 23. the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. Tit. iii. 5. according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Heb. xiii. 20. the God of peace ...... make you perfect in every good work. 1 Pet. i. 3. blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again—. James i. 17, 18. of his own will begat he us.

¶4BY THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT. John xvii. 17. sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. James i. 18. of his own will begat he us with the word of truth. Eph. v. 26. that he might cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. 1 Cor. xii. 13. by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Tit. iii. 5. by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

¶5THE INWARD MAN. John iii. 5, 6. that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Rom. vii. 22. after the inward man.

¶6THE OLD MAN BEING DESTROYED. Rom. vi. 6. knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. v. 11. likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Cor. v. 17. old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Col. iii. 9—11. that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man.

¶7IN ALL THE FACULTIES OF HIS MIND; that is to say, in understanding and will. Psal. li. 10. create in me a clean heart, O God. Ezek. xi. 19. I will put a new spirit within you ...... and I will give them an heart of flesh. xxxvi. 26. a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. Rom. xii. 2. be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good ... will of God. Eph. iv. 23. be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Philipp. ii. 13. it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. This renewal of the will can mean nothing, but a restoration to its former liberty.

¶8AFTER HIS OWN IMAGE. Eph. iv. 24. put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Col. iii. 9—11. which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. 2 Pet. i. 4. that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. If the choice were given us, we could ask nothing more of God, than that, being delivered from the slavery of sin, and restored to the divine image, we might have it in our power to obtain salvation if willing. Willing we shall undoubtedly be, if truly free; and he who is not willing, has no one to accuse but himself. But if the will of the regenerate be not made free, then we are not renewed, but compelled to embrace salvation in an unregenerate state.

¶9A NEW CREATURE. 2 Cor. 5. 17. if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Gal. vi. 15. a new creature. Eph. iv. 24. the new man. See also Col. iii. 10, 11. Hence some, less properly, divide regeneration into two parts, the mortification of the flesh, and the quickening of the spirit; whereas mortification cannot be a constituent part of regeneration, inasmuch as it partly precedes it, (that is to say, as corruption precedes generation) and partly follows it; in which latter capacity it belongs rather to repentance. On the other hand, the quickening of the spirit is as often used to signify resurrection as regeneration. John v. 21. as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so p. 345the Son quickeneth whom he will. v. 25. the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.

¶10THE WHOLE MAN. 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? 1 Thess. v. 23. the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¶11FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF GOOD WORKS. 1 John ii. 29. if ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. Eph. ii. 10. we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

¶12IS SANCTIFIED. 1 John iii. 9. 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. v. 18. whosoever is born of God, sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. Hence regeneration is sometimes termed sanctification, being the literal mode of expressing that, for which regeneration is merely a figurative phrase. 1 Cor. vi. 11. such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. 1 Thess. iv. 7. God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 2 Thess. ii. 13. because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit. 1 Pet. i. 2. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit. Deut. xxx. 6. Jehovah thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God. Sanctification is also attributed to the Son. Eph. v. 25, 26. Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. Tit. ii. 14. that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself (unto himself as our Redeemer and King) a peculiar people.

¶13Sanctification is sometimes used in a more extended sense, for any kind of election or separation, either of a whole nation to some particular p. 346form of worship, or of an individual to some office. Exod. xix. 10. sanctify them to-day and to-morrow. xxxi. 13. that ye may know that I am Jehovah that doth sanctify you. See also Ezek. xx. 12. Numb. xi. 18. sanctify yourselves against to-morrow. Jer. i. 5. before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Luke i. 15. he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

¶14The external cause of regeneration or sanctification is the death and resurrection of Christ. Eph. ii. 4, 5. when we were dead in sins, God hath quickened us together with Christ. v. 25, 26. Christ gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it. Heb. ix. 14. how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. x. 10. by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 2, 3. through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ .... which hath begotten us again by a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 John i. 7. the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

¶15Sanctification is attributed also to faith. Acts xv. 9. purifying their hearts by faith; not that faith is anterior to sanctification, but because faith is an instrumental and assisting cause in its gradual progress.