perienced, has taught him better things. It has freed his heart from the predominant love of the world; has shewed him its insufficiency for happiness; and has set before him an object more worthy of his desire and pursuit. In the room of the dead hope, which he once had, it has given to him a living hope.

With respect to the life that is to come, unregenerate men are equally vain and unsound in their hopes and expectations. They promise to themselves heaven. But on what foundation are their hopes placed? On the merit of their own works; on the imperfect discharge of moral duties; on the mere performance of religious ceremonies; on their formal, hypocritical services, which as they flatter themselves, must please God, and ensure to them eternal life. But all such hopes are vain. All such foundations are no better than sand, which will fail the builder on them in the hour of trial. "The hope of the hypocrite shall perish;" and "the lamp of the wicked," of the formal, and ungodly professor of religion, "shall go out" at the last, and shall leave him in utter darkness. All these things the true Christian knows. He himself had once no better a hope of heaven, than what these sandy foundations could furnish. He hoped to secure to himself the favour of God, and a title to Heaven by his own scanty doings, and formal services;

which, worthless and vile as they were, yet filled him with pride and puffed him up with self-conceit. But now he has better learned "the truth as it is in Jesus." Taught by the regenerating influences of the Spirit of God, he has placed his hope on a better foundation, even on the mercies and promises of God in Jesus Christ; on that Rock, which will never fail the humble and pious builder, even on Christ Jesus the Lord, "whom to know is life eternal;" and in whom, whosoever believeth, "though he were dead, yet shall he live." This is now the Christian's hope, "as an anchor of his soul both sure and stedfast, which entereth into that within the vail." This is au hope, which unlike the hope of the hypocrite, will never perish. It is a hope, of which he is assured, that it will never make him ashamed. It is a hope which animates him in life; which will cheer him in death; and which in the day of Judgement, will be abundantly fulfilled.

In the present experience of the peace and consolation, which it now yields; in the believing anticipations of that enjoyment, in which it will hereafter terminate, he now rejoices; and with feelings of cordial gratitude afresh exclaims, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has begotten me again to a lively hope."

Such are the Particulars of that Change, to which the text refers. I set before you, II. The Causes by which it has been produced.

These Causes are here represented to be two; one, the first moving Cause; the other the instrumental, efficient Cause. And both of these increase the Christian's grounds for congratulation and thanksgiving.

The first moving Cause of that blessed Change which the true Christian has experienced is the abundant mercy of God." This is the only source of every blessing to fallen man. When the Almighty proclaimed his name unto Moses, He declared Himself to be, "The Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful." From this grace and mercy all the blessings of Salvation flow. And to this grace and mercy the Christian ascribes the blessings, which He has himself received, and especially the great Blessing of having been begotten again unto the hope of eternal life. He is conscious that it has not been through any merits or pretensions of his own, that God has conferred on him so distinguishing a favour. By nature, he knows that he was no better than others. By practice he feels, perhaps, that he has been much worse than many. And as to his present services, he is conscious that they are at the best altogether imperfect and unprofitable. Why,

'then,' he says to himself, Why has the Lord 'conferred on me such a blessing? Why did ' he find me when I sought Him not? Why 'did He adopt me into his family, who was a 'child of wrath? Why did He create me again by his Spirit, and put into me a new heart; a heart, which now desires to obey ' and serve Him, which loves Him, and finds 'pleasure in his ways? Why did He thus 'work such a Change in my condition and prospects? Why has He thus begotten me again to a lively hope? To what other Cause ⚫ can I ascribe all these his dealings with me, but to His abundant mercy? It was of his 'great love, wherewith he loved me, because He is rich in mercy, that He thus quickened ⚫ me when I was dead in trespasses and sins. I merited no favour at his hands, far less a favour of such a magnitude. I have made • Him no suitable return for it, nor ever shall 'be able to make Him any. I stand in need every day, every moment, of the same grace and goodness to keep me in the way of duty ⚫ and obedience. I render Him back nothing but what I have first received from Him. Yet knowing what I was, and foreseeing what I should be, He prevented me with lov ing kindness and has delighted over me to do me good. What manner of love is this, that I should be called a Child of God! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy has begotten me again to a lively hope.'

We come next to consider the instrumental or efficient Cause of this glorious Change. This the Apostle declares to be "The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Every Blessing of redemption comes to us only through Jesus Christ. It is solely in consequence of his undertaking, and in consideration of his meritorious obedience and suffering even unto death, that any favour is shewn unto fallen man. Regeneration and a good hope through grace, are the fruits and effects of his prevailing mediation for sinners. the text these blessings are particularly ascribed to His Resurrection from the dead.

In

Let us see then the grounds, on which they are so ascribed.

1st, As to Regeneration. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead may be considered as the efficient Cause of our being born again, inasmuch as it was absolutely necessary to the gift and effusion of the Holy Spirit, by whom the new birth in our souls is accomplished. Till Christ was risen from the dead, He could not ascend in glory into heaven as a mighty conqueror over death and the grave, nor receive of the Father the promise of the Spirit. The dispensation of the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's mediation: but that mediation could not have