IV. Make some remarks.

1. This will appear, if we consider that state that mankind are in antecedent to the new birth. And if we view mankind as they come into the world, we shall then find them haters of God-enemies to God -estranged from God-nay, the very heart is enmity itself against all the Divine perfections; and we shall find them acting most freely and most voluntarily in these exercises. There is no state or circumstance that they prefer to the present, unless it be one whereby they may dishonour God more, or carry on their war with heaven with a higher hand. They have no relish for divine things, but hate, and choose to remain enemies to, all that is morally good. Now, that this is actually the case with sinners, is very evident from the Scriptures. We are told in the chapter of which the text is a part, that that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit; which teaches us that there is nothing truly spiritual or holy in the first birth, but that this comes by the second, or by the renewings of the Holy Ghost. Christ tells the Jews that they hated him without a cause. And the inspired apostle says, "That the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God."-Rom. viii., 7, 8. Therefore,

2. Seeing this is the state that mankind are in antecedent to the new birth, it is not fit or reasonable that God should bring them into favour with himself, or be at peace with them, without regeneration. Nay, he cannot, consistent with his perfection, for this would be for him to connive at wickedness when he tells us that he can by no means clear the guilty. And,

3. To suppose that sinners can see the kingdom of God or be happy in the Divine favour without re generation or the new birth, is a perfect inconsistency, or contrary to the nature of the thing. The very essence of religion consists in love to God; and a man is no further happy in the favour of God than he loves

God. Therefore, to say we enjoy happiness in God, and at the same time hate God, is a plain contradiction. 4. It is evident from Scripture that those to whom God gives a title to his spiritual kingdom are regenerated or born again, and those that are not, and remain so, shall be miserable. This is not only asserted in the text by the Son of God, who was co-equal, coeternal, and co-essential with the Father-whose words stand more permanent than the whole fabric of heaven and earth-and who stands at the gate of the universe, and will not alter the things that have gone out of his mouth; I say, it was not only spoken by this glorious being who cannot lie, by his own lips, with a repeated verily, but has been confirmed by those whom he inspired, and who, we are assured, had the mind of Christ. St. Paul gives us the character of a good man, or one entitled to the heavenly world, 2 Cor. v., 17: "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.' And they are said to be renewed in the spirit of their mind, Eph. iv., 23. Compare Rom. xii., 2. And to be born of God, John i., 13. And they are spoken of as being lovers of God, Prov. viii., 17. And respecting] those that are not of this character, or that remain enemies to God, he tells us that he will pour out his fury upon them. Hence we read that the wicked shall be turned into hell, even all the nations that forget God; and that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And St. John the Divine, having a view of the glory of the heavenly world, says that there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Thus we see the propriety of our Lord's assertion, that, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

But, as I mean to handle the subject with the utmost brevity, I pass on,

II. To show the nature of regeneration, or what it is to be born again. And here,

1. I would consider the agent, or who it is that effects this great work. And if we consider that state that mankind are in by nature, as has been described above, we need not stand long to know who to attribute this work to. It is a work too great to attribute to men or angels to accomplish. None but He who, by one word's speaking, spake all nature into existence, can triumph over the opposition of the heart. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, who is represented in Scripture as emanating from the Father and the Son, yet coequal with them both. It is God alone that slays the native enmity of the heart-that takes away those evil dispositions that govern the man-takes away the heart of stone and gives a soft heart-and makes him that was a hater of God, an enemy to God, to become friendly to his divine character. This is not wrought by any efficiency of man, or by any external motives, or by any light let into the understanding, but of God. Hence we read that those that receive Christ are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.-John i., 13. And that it is the gift of God.-Eph. ii., 8. Also that it is God which

worketh in us.-Phil. ii., 13.

Thus, I say, the man is entirely passive in this work, but it is all wrought immediately by a Divine agency.* The man now becomes a new creature. Although he cannot discern what is the way of the spirit (as the wise man observes), or how God thus changes the heart, yet he knows that he has different feelings from what he had before. Therefore,

2. It is necessary that we consider those things that are the attendants or consequences of regeneration or the new birth; for there are no gracious or holy exercises that are prior thereto, to be sure, in the order of nature. Some seem to suppose faith to be before regeneration, but a little reflection upon the matter will

* "In regeneration man is wholly passive; in conversion he is active. Regeneration is the motion of God in the creature; conversion is the motion of the creature to God, by virtue of that first principle whence spring all the acts of believing, repenting, and quickening. In all these man is active; in the other he is merely passive."-CHARNOCK.

show this to be wrong. By faith we are to understand a believing of those truths that God has exhibited in his word with a friendly heart. Now, to suppose that a man believes with this friendly heart antecedent to regeneration, is to suppose that a man is a friend to God while in a state of unregeneracy, which is contrary to Scripture. Now, if to believe with a friendly and right-disposed heart is absolutely necessary in order to constitute a true faith, and such a heart is peculiar to the regenerate only, then we must be possessed with this heart (which is given in regeneration) before there can flow from it any such exercises. So that the man must become a good man, or be regenerated, before he can exercise faith, or love, or any grace whatever. Hence we read of men's receiving Christ, and then becoming the sons of God.-John i., 12. Therefore, what lies before us is to show what those fruits and effects are, and what are those inward feelings that come in consequence of the new birth. And,

1. He loves God supremely. He loves holiness for what it is in itself, because it agrees with his new temper. He chooses and prefers that to any thing else. He loves the law of God. He loves the gospel, and every thing that is Godlike. He loves the holy angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. His affections are set on things that are above. His treasure is there, and his heart will be there also. He loves the people of God in this world; nay, wherever moral rectitude is to be seen, he falls in love with it. He loves all mankind with a holy and virtuous love. Although he cannot love those that are the enemies of God with a love of complacency, yet he loves them with the love of benevolence. He is of a noble and generous spirit. He is a well-wisher to all mankind. And this supreme love to God and benevolence to man is spoken of in Scripture as the very essence of true religion.

2. He repents of all his sins. He feels guilty before God. He sees and owns that God is right and he is wrong. He sees and gives in that it would be just with God to consign him over to the regions of despair.

Now the man which could take no delight in any thing else but sin, hates it beyond any thing whatever. Now he can acknowledge his sin with holy David-" Against thee, and thee only, have I sinned."-"Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities." He sees that the sacrifice of God is a broken and a contrite spirit. Like the publican, afraid to look up, he smites upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me, a

sinner."

3. He believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. I just observed what it was to believe. It is believing the record that God has given of his Son with a friendly heart. He gives in to the truths of the gospel with his heart, and he knows the truth by his own happy experience.

4. He is disposed to walk in all the ordinances of God blameless.

He evidences by his holy walk that he has a regard for the honour of God. He endeavours to imitate his Divine master in all his imitable perfections. Knowing that he saith "he that abideth in him, ought himself so to walk, even as he has walked." Oh, happy change indeed! The man is made like God in some good measure. He has the same kind of affections and dispositions as there are in God. He has a living principle within him, which is active and vigorous, springing up into everlasting life.

But we pass on to take notice of the third thing in the method, which was,

III. To show what we are to understand by, seeing the kingdom of God.

Now we are not to suppose that it is an intuitive view that we have of the kingdom of God, as we behold objects with our eyes; but we are to understand enjoying, or being admitted to possession of, the blessings and entertainments of the heavenly world, or being brought into the Divine favour. He cannot be a partaker of that unspeakable happiness that is in God; he cannot enjoy that blessed intercourse and holy com munion that comes to the believer in consequence of