in peace. a bow at a venture, and wounded him, that he died, and thereby deprived him of his expected peace. I am fully persuaded, that it is needful for every one of us well to consider what a great work regeneration is, and who it was that said, that without it there is no entering the kingdom of heaven.

But we find, that a certain man drew

Some have taken this to be no more than water baptism, and have thereby lulled men's senses to sleep in carnal security. Others have conceived that it may be witnessed in an instant: I shall not take upon me to say, that it may not, believing that all things are possible with God. But my view of regeneration is, according to the general acceptation of the word, man restored to his primitive purity, by and through the operation of truth on his mind; and that the first receiving of Christ as a Saviour is the beginning of this operation. The Lord is come to his temple, when a sinner is come to a sense of his sin, and calls for The mercy. of the covenant is come, messenger when faith looks up to the Saviour, and receives remission of sins. But yet the great work of regeneration is not yet accomplished, "" and who shall abide the day of his coming? for he shall sit as a refiner with fire, and a fuller with soap, and shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Here is set before us a view of the work of regeneration, which cannot refer to any forms or shadows, but the very substance of it must be brought home to every regenerated mind. And the witnessing the Spirit to sit as a refiner, and to abide this day of his coming, is as needful for the completion of the work, as faith in him, as a Redeemer and reconciler, was needful to the beginning of it.

I shall not take upon me to say how soon a man may be regenerated: I believe the Lord can do it, how and when he pleases, and that no man can set limits to the working of his power, or describe, with precision, how it is brought about in each particular man; seeing that "there are diversities of operations by the same Spirit," to bring about the desired end. And as we are different in our natures, and all that appertains to us is known to him who made us, and who alone can save us, it is both our duty and interest to put our trust in him, that he may teach us "to work out our souls' salvation with fear and trembling, by working in us to will and to do of his good pleasure." I much desire that all Christians were once brought to a right conception of what they are called to, and would abide steadfast in their calling, thereby knowing the old man to die daily, and the new man to be renewed day by day.

1

* 1 Cor. xii. 6.

y

Philip. ii. 12.

' 2 Cor. iv. 16.

a

But, my dear brethren, I fear, that, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so you also should have your minds corrupted from Christian simplicity, by not living near enough to the Spirit of truth, which your bountiful Saviour promised to send, to abide for ever, and lead and guide you into all truth. It is the desire of my mind, that we may all be taught what concerns our progress in the way of regeneration, and go forward towards the real accomplishment of it in ourselves, not being content with a picture of glory, and standing still, without pursuing the living substance: for I am well assured, if we are come to an establishment in the faith, that it is God that worketh in us to will and to do, we shall also be sure that he will work righteousness in us, and through us, and be taught to shun evil, knowing

that he is a swift witness against it."

Now seeing we are assured, from holy writ, that the Lord is Redeemer, refiner, and swift witness, why should it be thought an error, to hold the possibility of freedom, both from the guilt and pollution of sin, on this side the grave? I believe that the pleading for it, during term of life, is a cause of filling many people's mouths with unprofitable arguments, and causing them to remain dwarfs in real religion. I must confess, with sorrow, that I am not perfect, nor have I ever been acquainted with any one that was, according to my

2

* 2 Cor. xi. 3.

b

Mal. iii. 5.

view of it; and therefore, in this, I must walk by faith, and not by sight. Yet, I think I may say, I have seen different degrees of perfection in men, some nearer the mark of the prize of the high calling than others, and hope, both for them and myself, that the Lord will 'perfect that which is lacking, at the close of the day.

I am now induced to speak of what the apostle said to a church; after exhorting them to prove and search themselves, and telling them that Christ was in them, except they were reprobates, he soon after adds, "I pray God that ye do no evil...and this also we wish, even your perfection." Here again I conceive, that the apostle's words are plain and decisive, and all commenting, and splitting asunder, and then joining them to fit human conceptions, or systematic divinity, would only be darkening counsel, with words without knowledge.

I would now draw your attention to what the apostle wrote to the Hebrews, whereby we may see and judge, whether he pleaded for sin during term of life, to real believers; and whether he did not hold a perfect freedom attainable, and that pleading for sin is "laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God; of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." Now it is clear to

2 Cor. xiii. 7-9.

d

a Heb. vi. 1.

me, that the apostle knew he was writing generally to those who had been initiated into the church, by repentance, faith, and baptisms; and, so far as related to articles of faith, were sound in it; and that turning aside from walking according to the teachings of the Spirit, and walking after the flesh, would undo what was done, and lay the foundation for a fresh beginning of repentance, and cloud the mind from beholding with clearness these plain established truths of Christianity which had been before believed. It is therefore clear to me, that the apostle here conveyed to the believers, who were then sound in faith, both in theory and experience, as he there expresses it, that he was aware something more was wanting to perfect them; and in order to the perfecting of what was lacking in their faith, it was needful for them to keep their eye single to him who was the Author of that faith, and who had so far begun a good work in them, that he might carry it on, and finish it to his own glory, by keeping them under his teaching; that by virtue thereof, holiness might be perfected in the fear of the Lord, and that they might know a firm establishment in that better hope, which alone can make the comers thereunto perfect.

Now, I beseech you to abstain from all pleading for the unavoidableness of sinning, seeing we have such a bountiful Saviour," and that he is able