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again, they cannot fee the kingdom of God." And, that they may not deceive themselves, but know in part at leaft, wherein this change confifteth, let them peruse and ponder the following paffage of the apoftle John:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the "world: if any man love the world, the love of the Fa"ther is not in him."*

Once more. There are fome who walk in the path of ambition. Pride and vain glory is the idol at whofe fhrine they bow. Thefe, indeed, may be divided into very dif ferent claffes. Pride, which may be called the mafterpaffion of the human frame, takes in the most extenfive and univerfal range. There is fcarce any ftate in which it is not able to exert itself, fcarce any circumftance which it is not able to convert into the means of its own gratification. All natural advantages which men enjoy over others, whether in refpect of body or mind; all the additional trappings of fociety, viz. wealth, station and office; all acquired advantages, intellectual, or even moral, become the fuel of pride. As fome endeavor by extraordinary actions to fpread their fame in public life, others, though in a narrower fphere, are under the habitual government of the fame defire. While great men are taking cities, and deftroying kingdoms, to get themselves a name, others of meaner rank are vying with one another in drefs, furniture, and equipage, or fuch inferior arts as they have been able to attain. Nay, those who never did any thing that could merit praise, too often fhew themfelves under the government of the moft hateful and detested kind of ambition, by a rancorous malice and envy against fuch as excel or outfhine them. We may go a ftep farther, and fay, there is great reafon to believe, that in fome, the cultivation of their minds, long and affiduous application to study, zealous and fuccefsful endeavors to promote the public good, ought to be afcribed to no other fource, to no higher motive.

I thought I could not fall upon any way to illuftrate this part of my fubject, which would make it more intel.

* 1 John ii. 15.

ligible, than to give this fhort view of the characters and purfuits of the men of the world; and then to observe, That the change in regeneration doth properly conlift in a ftrong inward conviction of the vanity of worldly enjoyments of every kind; and a perfuafion, that the favor and enjoyment of God is infinitely fuperior to them all. Whatever other differences there may be, this will be found in every child of God, from the highest to the lowest, from the richest to the pooreft: from the wifeft to the moft ignorant; and from the oldeft to the youngelt. Every fuch one will be able to fay with the Pfalmift, "There be many that say, Who will fhew us any good? Lord, lift "thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou "haft put gladness in my heart, more than in the time "that their corn and their wine increased. I will both "lay me down in peace, and fleep, for thou, Lord, only "makeft me dwell in fafety."*

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I shall afterwards have occafion more fully to explain the comparative influence of this defire; but before I conclude this fection, muft make the two following remarks: 1. That the favor of God muft appear to the believer as abfolutely neceffary to his comfort. 2. As full and fuffi

cient for that purpose.

1. He that is born again, confiders the favor of God as abfolutely necessary to his comfort. He fees the emptinefs and inherent vanity of all things elfe. Even when the world fmiles, even when things fucceed with him to his wifh, he will not reft fatisfied with any, or all temporal mercies. He will, above all, defire an intereft in that love which God beareth to his "chofen people," a right by promise or covenant to the ufe of prefent comforts, and the favor and protection of his fpecial providence. How contrary this to the temper of many, who have a name to live while they are dead? If the world finiles, they follow it with eagerness, and embrace it with complacency, while they are cold and indifferent in their defires towards God. Perhaps, when they are diftreffed with outward calamities; when experience conftrains them to confefs

* Pfal. iv. 6, 7, 8.

the vanity of the creature, they cry to God for relief. But when ease and profperity return, they foon forget his works, are well pleased with their condition, and neither grieve for his abfence, nor are afraid of his anger. This fhews plainly, that whatever occafional fymptoms they may discover, they are fupremely and habitually poffeffect by a love of the world, and defire of fenfual gratification. In oppofition to this, every real Chriftian fees the favor of God to be fo abfolutely neceffary, that he cannot be without it. He fees it to be more neceffary than riches, honors, or pleasures; nay, than health, or even life itself; all which he values chiefly as they are the fruits of the divine bounty, as tokens of divine love, and as they afford him an opportunity of promoting the divine glory. He is ready to fay with the Pfalmift, "Whom have I in "heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I "defire besides thee: my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for "ever."*

2. He that is born again, confiders the favor of God as full and fufficient for his comfort and happiness. That is to fay, he is habitually fatisfied with this as his portion, whether there be abundance or ftraitnefs as to outward provifion. He counts the favor of God as abfolutely neceffary, but nothing elfe is confidered as fuch. No earthly enjoyments can fatisfy him without God's favor; but this will fatisfy him, be his outward condition what it will. I am far from meaning to affirm, that every good man is free from the leaft rifing nurmur, the leaft impatient or rebellious thought. If it were fo with any man, he would be perfect in holinefs; but I mean to fignify, that this is his habitual and prevailing temper. He is inwardly convinced, that thofe alone are happy; and that they are, and shall be, compleatly happy, who are reconciled to God, and the objects of his fpecial love. His own remaining attachment to prefent things, and immoderate forrow under outward calamity, he fincerely laments as his weakness, and humbly confeffes as his fin. He en

Pfal. lxxiii. 25, 26.

deavors to fupply the void left by every earthly comfort, when it is withdrawn, by the fulnefs and all-fufficiency of God. He poffeffes, in fome measure, and breathes after more and more of the temper expreffed in the two following paffages of fcripture: "Although my house be "not fo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlast"ing covenant, ordered in all things, and fure; for this "is all my falvation, and all my defire."* Although "the fig-tree fhall not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in "the vines; the labor of the olive fhall fail, and the field "fhall yield no meat; the flock fhall be cut off from the "fold, and there fhall be no herd in the ftalls; yet will "I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my fal, "vation."†

Thus I have endeavored to point out wherein the change in regeneration doth immediately and properly confift. It is juft the recovery of the moral image of God upon the heart; that is to fay, to love him fupremely, and ferve him ultimately, as our highest end; and to delight in him fuperlatively, as our chief good. This recovery, however, is but begun on earth. It is gradually improved in the progrefs of fanctification, and fhall be fully compleated at the refurrection of the juft. The fum of the moral law is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and foul, and strength, and mind. This is the duty of every rational creature; and, in order to obey it perfectly, no part of our inward affection or actual fervice ought to be, at any time, or in the least degree, misapplied. This is the cafe with no mere man, while he continues in the body. But regeneration confifts in the principle being implanted, obtaining the afcendency, and habitually prevailing over its oppofite. Even in those who are born again, there will ftill be many ftruggles between the "law of fin in their members," and the "law of God in "their minds." This we find deeply lamented by the apostle Paul: "O wretched man that I am, who fhall "deliver me from the body of this death?" It ought to give unfpeakable confolation to the chriftian, when he re

2 Sam. xxiij. 5. † Habbak. iii. 17, 18. Rom. vii. 24. VOL. I.

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flects, that the feed which is planted by divine grace, shall be preserved by divine power. A gracious God will neither fuffer it to be fmothered by contending weeds, nor destroyed by the inclemency of this tempeftuous climate, till it be transplanted into the milder regions of peace and ferenity above.

SECT. III.

The effects of regeneration; with some of the principal evidences of its sincerity.

I

N the further profecution of this head, I proposed to mention fome of the principal evidences and fruits of a faving change. Thefe, no dobut, it were easy with fufficient propriety greatly to extend and enlarge, because they include all the marks and figns of real religion, fuited to every character and every fituation in which a chriftian can be placed. The heart being renewed, the life will of neceffity be reformed, and holiness in all manner of conversation, including the duties of piety towards God and juftice and charity towards men, will be its native and genuine effect. But this would be too wide and general a field. I find moft writers on this fubject take particular notice of the new views and apprehenfions which the regenerate perfon hath of himfelf, and every other thing or perfon to which he ftands related. I fhall therefore very fhortly obferve, he who is born again, difcovers his new nature and life by new apprehenfions of God-of himfelf-of the world-of eternity-of Jefus Chrift the Saviour of finners-and of all the ordinances of his appointment.

The regenerate perfon has new views of God, both in refpect of greatness and goodness. He really and inwardly believes the being, prefence, power and providence of God, which he in a great measure difbelieved before. Whereas formerly, even what he did believe of God was feldom in his thoughts; now it is almoft impoffible for him to look upon any thing, or person, or event, without confidering its relation to God. O what “terrible majes

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