Motivation (8): Charnock

Stephen Charnock (1628-1680), chaplain to Henry Cromwell (son of Oliver) and Puritan pastor in London:

"[Regeneration] is a universal change of the whole man. It is a new creature, not only a new power, or new faculty: this . . . extends to every part, understanding, will, conscience, affections, all were corrupted by sin, all are renewed by grace. Grace sets up its ensigns in all parts of the soul, surveys every corner, and triumphs over every lurking enemy."

"It is principally an inward change. It is as inward as the soul itself. Not only a cleansing the outside of the cup and platter, a painting over the sepulcher, but a casting out the dead bones, and putrefied flesh; of a nature different from a pharisaical and hypocritical change. . . . If it were not so, there could be no outward rectified change."

"[T]his new creation consist[s] in gracious qualities and habits, which beautify and dispose the soul to act righteously and holily. . . . God hath put into all creatures such forms and qualities, whereby they may be inclined of themselves to motions agreeable to their nature, in an easy and natural way. Much more doth God infuse into those that he moves to the obtaining a supernatural good, some spiritual qualities, whereby they may be moved rationally, sweetly, and readily to attain that good: he puts into the soul a spirit of love, a spirit of grace, whereby as their understandings are possessed with a knowledge of the excellency of his ways, so their wills are so seasoned by the power and sweetness of this habit, that they cannot, because they will not, act contrary thereunto."

--The Doctrine of Regeneration (Welwyn, Hertfordshire: Evangelical, 1980, reprint), 103-124.