Regeneration

John 1 :13.    Men's free-will, or natural power , is quite dead in the matter of regeneration; its utmost endeavours can contribute nothing to this work , for they "were born , not of the will"or the strongest inclinations" of the flesh".Whatever singular endowments of learning , wisdom , or valour men have , yet none of these do prove regeneration , nor can they contribute anything to such a work ," for they were born not of the will of man ,", or of famous or virtuous men , as the word in the original often signifies .  Regeneration is God's own work , who employs his word as the seed , sends his ministers as instruments to sow the seed , and who quickens the soul by the Spirit , who is the immediate worker of regeneration in order of operation , and so , whatever excellency regenerate men may have , they are bound to acknowledge that grace saved them and made them to differ from others , for they "were born "not of anything "but of God "

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