his wicked passions subdued; his life reformed; his mind enlightened; his soul filled with faith, or the love of CHRIST, and charity, or the love of man; and all his actions be sanctified by the influence of the Holy Spirit; before he can hope to attain eternal salvation, and enter into the kingdom of GOD."-Having thus shortly explained to you the nature of regeneration or the new birth, I will enter more fully into the subject; in order to guard you against those false opinions respecting it, which are too common in the present day, and highly dangerous; since they first lead the understanding astray, and afterwards corrupt the heart.

The beginning of regeneration is, faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST; in his divine character; in his atoning merits; in his power and willingness to assist us with his grace; in his offices of Saviour, lawgiver, and judge of mankind. From this faith is derived the only proper principle of obedience; for unless "good works" themselves are sanctified by faith, they are of no value in the sight of GOD. I mean, my friends, that good works, done by christians, in a christian country, where men know the law of CHRIST, or have an opportunity of knowing it; if they are not done upon a principle

of obedience to the gospel, and because JESUS CHRIST has commanded them, do not appear, from the holy scriptures, to partake of the character of righteousness; and for this clear reason, because they may be the effects of education, habit, a good-natured disposition, and many other things, which are not at all connected with religion. Faith, therefore, I repeat, is the first step. in regeneration, or the new birth, as our Saviour immediately remarks to Nicodemus : "GOD," says he," so loved the world, "that He gave his only begotten Son, that "whosoever believeth in him should not. "perish, but have everlasting life." In conformity to this declaration of our Saviour; the apostle tells us, that the purification and improvement of the christian's heart arise from the principle of faith; "GOD," says St., Paul," purifies the hearts of men by faith." The apostle John, also, declares, that the christian overcomes the world by faith; and St. Peter, in his second general epistle, first chapter and fifth verse, in the list which hel gives of christian virtues, mentions faith in the first place; to which, however, the other virtues are added, as the necessary consequences of an honest, sincere, and sound faith in JESUS CHRIST. But, though the beginning of regeneration be faith in the

Saviour, and his merits, yet the new birth does not stop here; but is shewn outwardly in the life and behaviour, by holiness and purity, honesty and charity, and, in short, by complete obedience to the law of GOD, as contained in the Bible. This is as clear as the sun shining in his brightness at noonday, from innumerable passages of scripture. St. Matthew tells us, in the eighteenth chapter of his gospel, that the disciples came to JESUS, saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Upon which our Saviour called a little child unto him, and placed him in the midst of them, and said, "except ye be converted, and become as "little children, ye shall not enter into the "kingdom of heaven." Here our Saviour explains what he said to Nicodemus in the text, about being born again: he shews us clearly that it is a change of the heart, from all wicked affections, to what is holy, pure, and innocent; and of the conduct, from all wickedness and vice, to virtue and purity of living. St. Paul, also, referring to the doctrine of regeneration, speaks of it under different names, but each of them signifying a change of heart and life; he calls it "a "new creature," or or "a new creation;' "the new man," or "the workmanship of "GOD in CHRIST JESUS." "If any man

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"be in CHRIST JESUS," says he," he is a "new creature ;" and then goes on to describe the consequences which this change will produce in his soul and behaviour; shewing that, before regeneration, the motives of a man's actions were worldly ones, such as arose from pleasure, interest, or inclination; but that, in consequence of his change, the motives of his actions became spiritual, and were taken from the New Testament. Hence it appears, that a man who is really regenerated, wil! behave as a christian ought to do; because he knows, acknowledges, and feels the law of CHRIST; and is sensible that holiness and virtue are pleasing to GOD, and will secure the salvation of his scul. He now looks upon his former vicious pleasures with abhor rence; and repents him bitterly of the time he has wasted in sin, folly, and idleness. He now begins earnestly to search the scriptures, or listens attentively to the reading of them, that he may find out what he must believe and do, in order to be saved. He thinks much and seriously about time and eternity, heaven and hell; and soon sees that his great business in this life is "so to pass through things temporal, as "finally not to lose the things eternal." His understanding is enlightened by the

gospel, and he clearly perceives, that his christian calling is not a state of idleness, but of vigilance and activity; that he must watch and pray, lest he enter into tempt ation; that he must "work out his salva"tion with fear and trembling;" that he must "fight the good fight of faith;" and that he must find his way to heaven, by being religious and upright, sober and honest, kind and useful, upon earth. He does not puff himself up with the vain and proud fancy of some sudden change from wickedness to piety, as if it were done by a special miracle of GOD; but, comparing the present feelings of his heart, and the present actions of his life, with those of his former state, and finding them to be such as the gospel commands, he humbly hopes that GOD has been pleased to regenerate him by the power of the Holy Ghost; is deeply thankful for the mercy, and earnestly desirous, that it may be continued to him; and that he may increase more, and more in true righteousness, and in all holiness, of thought, word, and deed. He knows, that the Holy Spirit will either abide with or quit him, according as he does, or does not, endeavour to improve in godliness and virtue; and is, consequently, most careful to avoid every practice that