very action of spirit speaks activity or active vigour. And the Spirit of holiness doth obtain and take place, or where so it is not a mere contemplative knowing which belongs the regenerating work is really effected, men do thereupon to the mind alone, abstracily considered; but there being more make it their business to govern the outward man spirit in that mind, that turns all that knowledge into vital subserviently to the inner, and the lower soul subservient principles, suitable for present actions and operations. to the upper; and the very parts of the body, too, subserAnd this is the very centre of that subject, or seat of this viceable to both, that they may be instruments for the serrenovation, or transforming change. You must be renew-ving of God. Wherever there is more of the regenerating ed in this faculty, not only as it is cognitive, but as it is power and spirit of grace residing and ruling in the inner active; as there is a spirit suiting it for vigorous acting man, so much the more there will be of a severe restraint, centring in it. Here is the seat of this renovation. This from a divine principle. So much the more there will be plainly speaks this to be an extra-natural production, as of a severe restraint upon licentious, unbridled appetite : well as it speaks it to be a real one, as before was said. so much the more careful such will be to preserve their Secondly, If we consider Christ as the ministering agent bodies in a useable posture for the service of God, rememhere, and as he was the prime minister of the Gospel by bering that even their bodies themselves are the outward which this work is effected and done upon souls. It did temples of a deity. "Know ye not that ye are the temples not belong to him in this capacity, as he was Christ, merely of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" to bring forth a new natural production into the old world. 1 Cor. iii. 16. And every man is therefore taught and reIt is true that belongs to him too, but under another notion, quired to possess his body in sanctification and honour, as he was the Creator of all things, things visible and remembering that even his very flesh itself hath undergone invisible, things in heaven and things on earth; all were a dedication, being washed with pure water, to signify its created by him and for him, to wit, if you consider him in being prest into a subserviency to the great God and the his abstract Deity. But the name Christ is the appro- Redeemer, under the conduct and government of his Spirit. priated name of his office, as he is the Mediator. Every" Let us draw nigh (we that have lived at a distance, and one that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. strangers) with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, Believing him to be Christ, that is, to be the restorer of a having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and lapsed, perishing world, not the creator of it, as he was at our bodies washed with pure water, to signify, that in body the first, which belongs to him in that distinct natural and spirit we have been devoted, Heb. x. 22. agreeing with capacity; but look upon him as a constituted Mediator, a that Cor. vi. latter end, "You are not your own, you restorer and repairer of fallen, ruined, perishing creatures; are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your look upon him so as the name Christ signifies him to be, spirit, and in your bodies, which are both his." And so and so he is the agent in this great work. "He that be- by participation, and secondarily, the sanctifying impreslieveth him to be the Christ, is born of God." "And he sion comes to obtain in that which is the lowest in the nathat is in Christ, is a new creature," 2 Cor. v. 17. and ture of men. They are to be sanctified throughout; thereagain, Ephes. ii. 10. "We are his workmanship, created fore this is a total production: that holy rectitude which in Christ Jesus unto good works." Whatsoever lay within is effected by regeneration, or this new birth, takes place the confines and limits of nature, would do us no good, in every thing belonging to the nature of man. Therefore that is all but self. We are not saved by ourselves, but we be not so vague as to imagine, that if there be somewhat are saved by grace, and not by nature, or any thing natural, done in some one faculty, this is regeneration, or that this as you have it in that context. How is that? Why, we speaks a man new born. If now and then there be a right are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good thought injected and cast in, if there be an inclination, works. Now the agency of Christ Jesus as he is the some motion or desire; if something of convictive light be Christ, it lies within the sphere of grace, (by which it is struck into a man's conscience; is this regeneration? Is said we are saved,) not within the sphere of nature. And this being new born? No, that makes all things new: "If therefore it is not nature that doth the business. We must any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are look upon this as an extra-natural, supernatural production, done away, all things are become new." There is a new mind, both as it is our mind, and the very spirit which is to be the a new judgment, a new conscience, a new will, new desires, seat and subject of it; and as our Lord Jesus, even as he is new delights, new love, new fear, every thing new. And, the Christ, that is to be the great agent therein. But again, [4] This birth, as it is a birth, signifies a permanent [3] As this is a birth, so we must consider it to be a production, an effect that is permanent, lasting, and contotal production, such a one as carries an entireness with tinued. This is obvious to every one that considers the it: for so it is too with all such productions that are pro- common notion of a birth: for whatsoever it is (as to essenperly called births. A birth is not the production of a leg, tials) that any one is, (as he is born,) the same he is to be or an arm, or an eye, but it is the production of an entire as long as he lives. Whatsoever he is by birth, as to the human creature. And so is this work represented: it is essentials of that being which by birth now comes to take called the putting on of a new man. I pray consider this; place in this world, he is the same thing all his days. the words of God are weighty words, and claim to be pon- Therefore, this must be some permanent, lasting, abiding dered with serious and deeply considering thoughts. I work and impression upon the soul. It is not some light beseech you, why is that change wrought in regeneration, subetaneous passion that is raised in a moment, and gone signified by putting on of a new man? What can it sig- in a moment. There may be many such subetaneous pasnify less than this, that it must be a total change? The sions raised in the souls that live under the Gospel, which production carries an entireness in it. As you do not call vanish and come to nothing; soon raised and soon gone. a finger or a toe a man, but the whole fabric and frame A sudden thought injected, a beam of convictive light that animated by a human spirit; this is the man. Now here strikes into the conscience, a pang of terror that seizeth, is an old man "put off, that was corrupt by deceivable some sudden rapid workings of desire: O! that my sins lusts," and then a new man put on, "which after God is were pardoned, O! that there were a peace between God created in righteousness and irue holiness." Some way or and me! Is this being born? That signifies a work done, other, indeed, this renewing work lies bespread through which lasts and continues. They that give us an account the whole man. Therefore the apostle prayed for the of qualities, do distinguish between these two things, paThessalonians, (1 Epistle, v. 23.) that they might be sanc- tibilis qualitas et passio. Implying, that the latter of these, tified throughout in their whole spirit, soul, and body; though it may be a real thing, yet it may be so sudden a meaning by the first, the higher and nobler faculties, or, as thing, so soon up, so soon down, that one is capable of denowe may call it, the upper soul. By the second, the lower mination from it no more than a man is to be known by a soni, as it is that seat of internal sense, imagination, appe- sudden blush in his face, or that he should grow unknown tition, passion, fancy. And then the body, according as because he wants it. This is a continuing thing. He that that may in a secondary sense be said to be the seat of a is by this birth to be denominated to be a believer as to the sanctifying impression, the several parts of that being now great faith of the Gospel, that Jesus is the Christ. Is such a more governable by a rectified mind and spirit, more use- one born of God? Yes, as long as he is a believer he is born able for God, the several parts thereof being so made in- of God. Doth he believe to the saving of his soul? This struments of righteousness for the serving of God, as the impression, by which it is said he is born of God, it is coexpression is, Rom. vi. 19. It being evident, that where extensive, it is commensurate; so that it signifies some

[1] From what is superior to it, and ought to be conceived infinitely superior. And that is the influence by which the eternal Son is begotten of the Father. That cannot be called a created influence, as that which is com mon to this work with all other creatures must be. But i may be truly procreated, because he is said to be begotten the only-begotten Son of the Father. Begotten he is, but It is a great thing to be a Christian! O that it were so begotten as none besides: not so begotten as a creature more understood what the Christian names signifies. If is. We shall show you the difference by and by. But we Christianity be not a shadow; if it were not a design un- are to consider these as infinitely different. The manner worthy of the descent of the Son of God into this world to by which God is said to beget his own eternal Son, and bestow upon men a new name, but let them be the same that by which he doth beget all that are, in the sense of the men under that new name, earthly, terrene, impure crea- text, born of him, differ: and especially in these two things tures, and strangers to God as much as ever, only called lies the difference; first, that the former is eternal, whereas

the latter is temporary; and secondly, the former is neces- | Spirit producing, and spirit produced thereby. The influsary, whereas the latter is arbitrary. And pray note these two great differences. The former, I say, is,

en ial cause, as such, is the Divine Spirit, (for we consider now the spirituality of the influence, not of the thing produced thereby.) Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, (or the Holy Ghost,) he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." It is not enough (as if he should have said) that a man be baptized; that will not do the business, that may leave him short of regeneration, of allusion to the Jewish baptisms that were before the Christian institution; for there were two sorts of proselytes among the Jews; (long before Christianity under that name came to obtain in the world ;) those that were called proselytes of the gate, and those that were called proselytes of justice. And for the latter sort, they were always admitted into the Jewish church by baptism; and therefore doth our Saviour justly upbraid it to Nicodemus, that he being a master in Israel, should understand so little of the mysteries of regeneration. "Art thou a master in Israel, Secondly, The influence in the former is necessary; in and knowest not these things?" Dost thou not understand reference to the latter, this and all other creatures are but the meaning of a usage so common among yourselves? arbitrary. Whatever is created is created by an arbitrary For at those baptisms they used to have a new father and influence. "For thy pleasure, or by thy will (as those a new mother, new kindred, new brethren, new sisters, words, Rev. iv. 11. may be read) they are and were cre- declaratively. This was a thing wont to be declared in ated." Whatsoever is created, is the product of the Divine the solemnity of those baptisms, as their own records inwill, depends upon an antecedent act of will, determining form. Now, saith our Saviour, dost thou think this thing, whether it shall be or not be. But this could not be the so used among yourselves, had no meaning? Art thou a case as to the eternal generation of the Son, even from master in Israel, one of the teachers and doctors, and dost thence, (as it hath been said,) that it was "from everlast-not understand this thing; that besides the external, siging" for whatsoever did depend upon an act of will, de-nificant baptism, there must be a signified internal baptermining whether it should be or not be, that is an antecedent of will; not concomitant, but antecedent; and so whether it should be or not be, must have had a beginning, and could not be pre-existent, could not be from all eternity. Though indeed such productions may be to all eternity, (as it is with the spirits and souls of men,) they cannot have been from all eternity, if it depend upon choice whether they should be or not be. But the other was a generative influence, that did not depend upon choice, but necessity of nature. He was the Son by natural, necessary, eternal promanation; as necessarily the Son, as the Father the Father; he resulting from him as his everlasting substantial image. As if the sun in the firmament, instead of projecting its beams round about, did invert them, and so there were a necessary production of a sun in a sun, not depending upon choice, but from an everlasting necessity of nature; so he is said to be the only-carries mental light in it. For when God doth this work begotten Son of the Father. Though he hath many sons, as you that are said to be begotten, and born of him; but in an inferior sense, as a greater difference cannot be supposed than to be from necessity of nature, and to be from arbitrary choice, at will and pleasure. "Of his own will begat he us, to be the first-fruits of his creatures;" James i. 18. he did it when he might not have done it. That is one distinction that is necessary to be made in this case, between this begetting and what is infinitely inferior to it, to wit, that of the only-begotten Son of God. But then,

First, Eternal. He that is said to be the only-begotten Son, "We beheld his glory as the glory of the only-begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth," John i. 14. He is the only-begotten Son in that peculiar and most noble sense, to wit, that he was begotten from eternity. So you find, Micah v. 2. "his goings forth were from ever-heaven, and the kingdom of God. It is spoken by way of lasting; of old, and from everlasting." So that there was no moment conceivable, not only in time, but in all foregoing eternity, wherein he was not by an everlasting resultancy (as we may speak) from the Father. His goings forth were from everlasting. It is not thus as to creatures; not as to the most excellent sort of creatures, this same more noble creature, the new creature, the divine creature, (being yet but a creature;) it had its beginning, and may have its very late beginning, as all creatures do begin to be at one time or other. And,

[2] We are to distinguish it too from that which is unspeakably inferior to it, as well as that which is superior; that is, we are to distinguish it from the production of inferior things, that are of a lower nature and value, which though they are called God's creatures, yet are they never in any sense to be called his sons. And we must therefore consider the special kind and nature of this productive influence in this respect, as it is to be distinguished from all that which is merely creative, and not generative at all. It is true, indeed, that the generative influence is creative too within the universe of created beings, so as that God's children as such are his creatures: for they are called new creatures. But though all his children are his creatures, yet all his creatures are not his children. There is somewhat peculiar not only in respect of the thing produced, but in respect of the productive influence too. And so we must note to you these differences:

First, that this difference is spiritual, I say; it is purely spiritual. It is called so, both in respect of the cause and of the effect. As it is from the cause, and as it terminates in the effect, so we are given to understand that it is spiritual; it hath the name of Spirit put upon it, John iii. 6. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." There is

tism? And what could that be but the baptism of the Holy Ghost, renewing the nature, transforming the soul, altering the habitual inclination, creating a new man, a new divine creature? So that it must be a mighty penetrative, spiritual influence, full of vital life and vigour diffused through the soul, that makes this birth, when one is said to be born of God. There is a spiritual production, and it is of Spirit. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit: under that notion, and as such we conceive it in relation to action, it speaks a mighty vigour, and vivacity, and operativeness. For matter, as matter can effect nothing, work nothing, it hath no operativeness, no ris, no energy in it, it is a mere passive thing; but the fountain of all activity, life and vigour, is Spirit, a spiritual being; and the generative influence in this work is such.

Secondly, It is intellectual as well as spiritual; such as

upon souls, he is said to shine into them. God that commanded light to shine out of darkness, "hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of his own glory in the face of Jesus Christ." He doth this work as the Father of lights. "Every good gift and perfect giving proceeds from the Father of lights," James i. 17. Even as it is such; whereupon (as we shall in the proper place come to note to you) these children are called "children of light," as he is the "Father of lights." And whereas the thing produced is the Divine image, this is to be renewed in knowledge, or, "they are renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created them," Col. iii. 10. After the image of their Creator, who is the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are originally and essentially in God, and communicatively and derivately in Christ, they are all hid in him. And so there is a derivation even in this work, unto the effect produced; and therefore it must be considered in the productive influence. Here is a radiation of light into the soul. He hath "called us out of darkness into his marvellous light." The light of divine truth, by which these great things that do concern us God-ward are revealed which were all his before. Therefore as to the matter of the production, or the productive influence, these are said to be "born of God." These children of God are said to be born of Divine truth; which is that light which shines into the soul, exhibiting to us such things, not as will satisfy curiosity, but necessity-answer the necessary purposes of our souls. "Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be to him the first-fruits of his creatures." And, 1 Pet. i. 23. “Being born, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God," Divine truth: "seeing you have purified your souls (as it is said

before) in obeying the truth." They had received that truth | ligent nature when he works upon such subjects, yet he which carried with it a transforming power, by which they works also suitably to himself, "according as his divine became subdued thereunto, and were made to receive the power hath given us all things pertaining to life and godliimpression thereof, according to that of our Saviour, "Sanc-ness," or to the godly life; in order to the ingenerating the tify them through thy truth: thy word is truth," John godly life his divine power hath given us by the exceeding xvii. 17. "And we give thanks always to God, for you, great and precious promises, a divine nature. The instru (saith the apostle to the Thessalonians,) that God hath mentality and subserviency of these "exceeding great and chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, precious promises," is greatly to be considered, God workand belief of the truth," 2 Thess. ii. 13. So that divine ing herein suitably to the nature of an intelligent subject. truth and light is the immortal seed out of which this Here is a change to be wrought in his nature, a nature divine production springs in the soul. The productive that is corrupt, depraved, averse from God, alienated from influence is illuminative; divine truth, in the light and the divine life; this nature is now to be attempered to God, lustre and glory of it, being darted into the very heart, made suitable to him, made propense and inclined towards hath made light to shine into the heart, even the light of him. This might be done, it is true, by an immediate the knowledge of God's own glory, 2 Cor. iv. 6. And exertion of Almighty power, without any more ado. But again, God will work upon men suitably to the nature of man. Thirdly, It is a powerful influence which is productive And what course doth he therefore take? He gives "exof this blessed work. It is true, that whatsoever work is ceeding great and precious promises," and in them he done by God, is done by an omnipotent agent, but not declares his own good will, that he might win theirs. In always as such; for we must not look upon him as a order to the ingenerating grace in them, he reveals grace merely natural or involuntary agent, that doth in every to them by these great and precious promises. And what thing what he can; as the fire burns all that it can, and is grace in us? Truly grace in us is good will towards God, the sun shines as much as it can. The case is not so in or good nature towards God; which can never be without the matter of divine agency; but he doth exert more or a transformation of our vicious, corrupt nature. It will less of his power as it seems him good, and as the matter never incline towards God, or be propense towards God, doth require. It is power, being under the regulation of till he make it so by a transforming power. But how doth his wisdom and his will in every thing he doth; for it he make it so? By discovering his kindness and goodness would be very unreasonable and absurd to think there to them in "exceeding great and precious promises," satisshould be the same emission of Divine power and virtue fying and persuading their hearts; I mean nothing but in the production of a worm as in the production of an kindness towards you, why should you be unkind towards angel. Therefore, the almightiness of his power he attem- me? I am full of good will towards you, will you requite pers and proportioneth, by his wisdom and choice, to the ef- it with perpetual ill will, and everlasting enmity towards fect to be produced. But there is a mighty exertion of pow- me? Thus the "exceeding great and precious promises" er in this work, when he begins the new creature; when are instruments to the communicating a divine nature to he is not only to bring a thing out of nothing, but, (which us, though that divine nature be ingenerated by a mighty requires a greater exertion of power,) he is to bring a con- power. God doth work at the rate of omnipotency in the trary out of his contrary, light out of darkness, holiness out matter by the exertion of almighty power; but yet suita of the greatest impurity, love to himself out of the highest bly to our nature, so as to express his mind, and kind enmity. This is a mighty egression of Divine power; design, and good will, by the exceeding great and precious when there are but additions to be made in this kind in promises contained in the Gospel. the soul, we find what it requires by what is prayed for. And if it were not so, he might as well make use of any "We pray for you, (saith the apostle, Eph. iii. 16.) that other means as the Gospel, to work upon souls by. But the God would grant you to be strengthened with might, by his Gospel is the word of his grace. To testify the Gospel of Spirit in the inner man;" and that he will do so "accord- the grace of God," that is my business, saith the apostle, as ing to the riches of his glory;" implying that there must a minister of Christ, and for which he did not reckon his be a mighty exertion of the glory of the Divine power, in life too valuable or too costly a thing to be sacrificed; order to an additional work, order to the superadding" That I may testify the Gospel of the grace of God, my some further degree unto what hath been wrought power-life is not dear to me," Acts xx. 24. I can be contented to fully already; "For this cause I bow my knees unto the throw away a hundred such lives as this, in testifying the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you." Gospel of the grace of God. But what was it to be testiAnd the expressions are of equal import, to the same fied for? That God by this testimony might insinuate into purpose, which we have Col. i. 11. The apostle there so ill-natured hearts and spirits, and set them right towards prays for the Colossians, that in order to their walking him; plead effectually with them, and expostulate the worthy of the Lord to all well pleasing, and in order to matter. Why should you be everlasting strangers to me, their being fruitful in every good work, and in order to who mean nothing but kindness and good-will towards you? their increasing in the knowledge of God, to wit, their Why should you choose to live as without me in the world? religion, (that being a periphrastical expression thereof, the Why should you be always alienated from the life of God, knowledge of God being a periphrasis of whole Christian- when he is seeking after you, and would impart his grace ity,) that they may be "strengthened with all might accord- and glory to you? It is in this way, and by such means, ing to his glorious power." There needed a continual that the Divine power works, in order to the production exertion of all might, and such as should accord to and of a divine nature; a nature that will incline towards agree with the glorious power of God himself, in order to God, work towards him, as it carried men away from him their progress and increase of grace and holiness; and before. And then, therefore much more must the first beginning of such a work as this in the soul require a very glorious exertion of Divine power.

And whereas therefore in this work there is a communication and participation of the Divine nature, this is signified to be his divine power. If you look to 2 Pet. i. ver. 3, 4. compared, "According as his divine power hath given us all things appertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might he partakers of the Divine nature." Here is a divine nature to be communicated and imparted in this great and glorious work. How is it to be communicated? It is true it must be by apt and suitable means; to wit, by the great and precious promises given us in the Gospel. But it must be by the exertion too of a divine power. Though God do work suitably to an intel- |

Fourthly, The influence by which this work is done, it is a merciful, compassionate influence; an influence of grace exerted and put forth, with the height of divine pity towards miserable creatures that must be lost and undone; being liable to an eternal hell, and who are a present hell to themselves, till such a work as this be done in them. For though, alas, such poor creatures will not consider it themselves, God doth consider with compassion the horrid, forlorn state of unrenewed souls: where his regenerating influence as yet hath had no place or effect, they are not only liable to eternal wrath (whereupon they are said to be by nature the children of wrath) by the inclinations and propensions of their own vicious nature, that hath set them at enmity with God, at enmity with one another, and set them at enmity with themselves. They are not only, I say, liable to eternal wrath by the inclination of their own nature, to which that tends to carry them, and to

i. The misery of loss. They are without God in the world: Ephes. ii. 12. "without Christ, and without hope, and without God in the world." They do not reflect upon this; but if occasion were given them to consider the state of their case, and they would truly consider it, whatsoever their straits and necessities are, they must needs say,-I do not know which way in the world to turn myself; I have no God to go to, none to whom mine heart inclines, none in whom I can justly pretend myself to have a present interest; I must bear all my burdens alone; in the midst of my wants I have no God; in the midst of my enjoyments I have no God; no God to supply my wants, no God to sweeten my enjoyments. This is their forlorn case. And if,

which it suits them; but they are a present hell to them-ence in which grace breathes, in which mercy governs. selves, as every unrenewed soul is. If you consider the "God, who is rich in mercy," hath saved us by quickenconstituent parts of hell, loss and torment; loss of the ing us together in Christ, infusing a new divine life into best good, torment by the worst evil; there are both these us, which will be eternal life, as certainly as a vicious, corin kind in this present state, though they are both higher rupted, depraved nature, continuing unrenewed and what in degree hereafter. But in kind, both do fall into the it was, will end in eternal death. So that as they are childpresent state of an unregenerate soul. ren of wrath, and sinners of hell by that very nature, so, by this divine nature now imparted by God's rich mercy, there is a sacred and sure pledge of life eternal, wherein that will end. And to the same purpose is Tit. iii. ver. 3, 4, 5. The apostle speaks of what naturally we all were; "We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures; living in malice, hateful, and hating one another: but after the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." This then is a most merciful influence that is given forth in the regenerating work. It is as if God should have said, I see these poor creatures are perishing, not only tending to hell, but carrying with them their own hell into hell, hell being at last cast into hell," (as the expression in the Revelation is.) It is a throwing hell into hell, when a wicked man comes to hell; for he was his own hell before. God beholding this forlorn case of wretched creatures, saith, I must either renew them or loose them; I must either transform them, or they must perish; they are in fire of hell already. Such and such we were, but of his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing by the Holy Ghost. O! the compassionate influence that is shed upon a soul in this case! The balmy dews that descend from heaven upon a distempered soul, which quench the flames of lust, and which implant and invigorate (after their implantation) a divine principle, in-create a new life, that leads to God and Christ, and the way of holiness and heaven at last. This "being born of God" must imply, if we consider the productive influence by which this blessed work is effected. We are afterwards to consider the effect itself produced in general God's own image inwrought into the soul, which we must understand by an influence, or exerted virtue, suitable to the thing to be produced, as well as suitable to the productive cause.

ii. You look to the misery of torment, which is the other constituent part of hell, there must be that in degree in every unrenewed soul. And so they have the same misery in kind that they shall have hereafter, for all degrees are comprehended in the kind. And therefore the lowest degree speaks the true kind, the same kind. Some degrees they have of it now, even of that torment which belongs to the present state, that of an unrenewed soul as such; for, being unreconciled to God, they are not capable of being reconciled to themselves; that is, the power and faculties of their souls with one another; but light prompts them one way, and inclination carries them another way. It is true there is somewhat of this warring in the regenerate too; but then the prevailing principle doth agree with their light; the prevailing principle in their hearts doth agree with the light in their minds, and is the victorious principle. There is a disposition to contend against light; but the holy gracious principle there doth ordinarily and habitually prevail against the corrupt and sinful principle. But the case is quite otherwise with unregenerate souls; to wit, in the stated course and current of their lives, they run counter to the judgment of their consciences; as no man's conscience but must condemn an ungodly life, living as "without God in the world;" but so they live their lives, and transact the whole course and current of their lives at that ungodly rate, without fear of God, without the love of God, without praying to him, without depending on him, without designing for him in a continued course. Why here is the self-tormenting principle laid asleep only in such souls; that is, if ever they should reflect, they must consider themselves in a state of war with God, and with their own consciences, which are God's vicegerents, and are to govern over them in his right. If conscience were awake, and would do its office, that self-tormenting principle would presently and repeatedly tell them, Thou art a rebel against God and me; thou dost what thy light condemns thee for; God is cast out of thy soul, thy thoughts, thy affections, thy mind and heart; thy life is a continual war and rebellion against Heaven. It is true, instead of mortifying their corruptions, they make a shift to mortify their consciences, and so they are not clamorous, nor do give them actual torment; but the tormenting principle is there, and needs only awakening, and will awaken sooner or later, too late, if God be not merciful. But because he is merciful, therefore is such a transaction set on foot between him and them. And it is a compassionate influence suited to the sad and forlorn case wherein men are liable to hell, and are a present hell to themselves. It is a merciful influence which is vouchsafed in such a case.

Do but look back to the 2d Ephesians, where men are said to be "children of wrath by nature," one as well as another; it is immediately subjoined in the next words, "But God, who is rich in mercy, according to his great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ;" hath inspired us with a new life, a divine and holy life, which is another expression of the same thing signified by "the divine nature." This is an influ

Preached May 13th, 1894.

.SERMON XLIV."
1 John v. 1.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.

AND now, besides the peculiarity that appears in the productive influence, we are to show you what peculiarities there are in the thing produced. It is the divine image itself, the permanent divine image. The influence is transient by which the effect is wrought, not only as it doth transire from God, but as it doth pass into the effect which it doth leave behind it. It doth relinquere post se opus, it leaves behind it a work wrought and done; and the work wrought and done hath a fixed permanent divine signature or impress upon it, by which it may be seen this is a divine production. Here are such resemblances of God in this work now done, that it may be plainly seen here is one born of God, or there is somewhat born of God in this soul, or in this person, as the matter is most emphatically expressed, to wit, in the neuter gender, afterwards in this very chapter, "Whatsoever is born of God," the thing born of God; to signify to us, that it is not the person as such; (for then Nicodemus's question could not have been answered, "How shall a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?") but there is something done in the person which is a divine product in this work. "Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world." The same thing that is signified before in this same epistle "by the divine seed," permanent and remaining in such a one, chap. iii. 8.