This is the reason we must be born again. If there was any thing spiritual in us, as born of the flesh, there would be no necessity for this second birth. If we were not by nature dead in trespasses and sins, there would be no occasion for our being quickened, by divine power and grace. If sinners were at all inclined to that which is good, they would not need to be created unto good works. If a man had not wholly lost the divine likeness, there would be no need of being created again" after God, in righteousness and true holiness." If the "heart of the sons of men" was not altogether depraved, to the very bottom of it, there would be no necessity of "the old heart's being taken away, and a new one given." If men's alienation of affection from God, did not arise from unlikeness to him, but only from ignorance and misapprehension about him, no change of nature would be at all necessary. Mere light in the head, mere conviction of the understanding, would then produce a cordial reconciliation. Yea, if a man has any degree of righteousness and true holiness, nothing but convictions can be wanting in order to his complying with the covenant of grace, and entering into the kingdom of God. He would no sooner be convinced of the holiness and righteousness of God, but he would feel his heart drawn forth in love to him. He would no sooner be convinced that the law was holy, just, and good, but he would be pleased with it, and loathe himself for all his transgressions of it. He would no sooner be convinced of the unparalleled zeal which Chirst hath shewn in the cause of righteousness, and how he has magnified the law and made it honourable, but he would be charmed with him, and see him to be "the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely." He would no sooner be convinced of the holy tendency of all his doctrines and all his

laws, but he would cordially embrace and cheerfully obey them. He would no sooner understand that his design was to save his people from their sins, but he would receive him, with all joy and thankfulness, as his Saviour and Lord.

But, if the hearts of men are totally depraved, entirely destitute of righteousness and true holiness, the case will be quite otherwise. A holy God, a holy law, a holy Saviour, a holy gospel, will not surely, then appear lovely in their eyes, but the contrary. Nor will a clearer understanding and conviction of what they really are, excite complacency and satisfaction in them, but the greater aversion and dread. They cannot, in that case, be cordially united to Christ, until his character or theirs is essentially changed. They cannot be drawn to him, unless by force, and against their wills, till either he ceases to be what he is, or they are made new creatures. For "an unjust man is an abomination to the just; and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked." And, what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with belial ?"

Can a man whose heart is wholly corrupt, and unholy, choose the holy Jesus for his Lord and Saviour, and cordially embrace the pure and holy doctrines and precepts of the gospel? Can one who is really and at heart, wholly in love with the service of satan, enlist, with any sincerity, into the service of Christ, all whose work and business is, "to destroy the works of the devil?" Can one who is all the while " an enemy his mind to God," yea, whose " mind is enmity itself against God," be delighted with the character and ways of his well-beloved Son, who is the "brightness of the Father's glory, and the very image of his per

in

son?" Can one who is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, voluntarily submit to the Mediator, or cordially acquiesce in his conduct in being obedient even unto death, to condemn sin and do honour to the divine law? Can any one who is an enemy to all righteousness, be pleased with Christ in this view of his character, pleased with him "for his righteousness sake," and for the zeal he has shewn 66 magnify the law and make it honourable ?"

to

This is the reason the Father is well pleased in him as Mediator. And all that come unto God by him," must be pleased with him in this view also. There can be no true reconcilation between God and man, unless both parties acquiesce in, and are suited with what the Mediator has done, and that considered in the same point of light. God is well pleased, indeed, with the love Christ has shewn for lost men. For the Father was always as benevolently disposed towards this fallen world, as the Son was. But yet had he not as Mediator, shewn a proper regard to truth and righteousness; had he not " condemned the sin of men," and "given unto God the glory that was due unto his name," the holy governor of the world could not have acquiesced in his mediation. "The Lord was well pleased for his righteousness sake." And if we are not pleased with him in this view, but merely for the sake of his kindness and love to men, we do not come into his plan of reconciliation and peace.*

* If that view of the amiableness of Christ, and that wellpleasedness with his mediation, which is implied in a compliance with the gospel, had nothing more in it than only seeing it to be a beautiful thing in him to feel so much interested in our welfare, and willing to do and suffer so much to save us from misery and ruin; then indeed no change of nature in the most depraved creature would be necessary in order to it. We may be as wholly selfish and regardless of God's glory

To conclude this head, and the present discourse. If the moral depravity of unregenerate sinners was fully understood, it must undoubtedly appear that this alone is sufficient to account for all that is said in the

as any sinner ever was, and yet be greatly charmed with the mediation of Christ, viewed only in the favourable aspect it has upon our interest. And, undoubtedly, thousands have been fatally deceived in this manner; taking this for a disco very of "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," and the effects of it for conversion and sanctification. For such a view of Christ and of God through him, will, under certain circumstances, produce a sort of repentance, love and obedience, in one who was, and continues to be, entirely void of real holiness. Let a sinner only have an impressive sense of the dreadfulness of damnation, and of his danger of it, and in the midst of this have the love of Christ, and what he has done and suffered for sinners, come suddenly into his mind, in a manner that makes him believe, or at least strongly hope, he is one of the happy number for whom Christ laid down his life; and is it possible but that he should be filled with comfort and joy, and have his affections greatly drawn forth towards such a kind and almighty Saviour? And when he comes now to view God in Christ, as his reconciled God and father, he will naturally feel quite otherwise affected towards him too. When he believes God has loved hins with an everlasting love, and elected him from eternity to be a vessel of mercy and an heir of glory; his enmity against him will hereupon naturally subside: he will naturally be ashamed and grieved that he has had such unworthy thoughts of him, and has behaved so unsuitably towards him. And such an apprehension of his new state, and of God's great goodness, may produce a lasting alteration in his life He may be very zealous in religion; and possibly very regular in his morals likewise. Here then is faith, repentance, love, and new obedience, without the least occasion for any conformity to God in true holiness from first to last. Such things as these are the natural growth of the human heart, under such rain and sun

scripture concerning their inability, and to make the grace of the Holy Ghost as necessary as that makes it. If they have "an evil heart of unbelief," wholly inclined to depart from the living God," such a

shine. There is no need of any alteration in the soil, or of any foreign seed sown in it.

This may be more clearly conceived by the help of a similitude. Let us then suppose a king that is strictly just in his administration, forbidding on very severe penalties all unrighteousness among his subjects, and very thorough in seeing justice executed on all offenders. A number of his subjects, who are viciously inclined, are uneasy under such restraints, and grow disaffected to their sovereign, and at length form a conspiracy to dethrone him. But before they are quite ripe for executing it, their plot is happily discovered. They are taken and brought to judgment; found guilty, and condemned to die. Their hatred against their prince is hereby greatly increased. One of them, however, is exceedingly dejected in spirit, at the thoughts of his approaching execution. For some time he remains in prison with the rest, in fearful expectation that every day may be his last. But in the midst of his greatest anxiety, a messenger at last arrives with a gracious pardon. He is delivered from prison and from death.. Yea, his offended sovereign has set his heart so peculiarly upon him, that, instead of having him executed with his fellow criminals, he is determined to make him a particular favourite at court, and raise him to honour and wealth, far exceeding his former condition before he became a rebel and a traitor. How great the surprize! How insupportable the joy, upon hearing all this! The wretch's enmity and hatred is quite overcome. Especially if he now understands that the king had always a particular kindness for him, and never designed any penal laws should be executed upon him, let him do what he would. He is filled with the most admiring sentiments of his injured gracious sovereign, and loves him above all men in the world. But hardly dares look up to him, he is so ashamed of his former temper towards him, and the black design he had meditated against his crown and life. All this does not suppose any alteration in the rebel's real character.