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Is it not plain, that fuperior advantages of inftruction, though very valuable, are far from being always effectual? Sometimes those who live long under the falutary inftruction and edifying example of pious parents and masters, continue, notwithstanding, in an infenfible ftate. Sometimes we fee perfons fit long under the most enlightening and awakening miniftry, with hearts as hard as the nether millftone. The case of the ordinary hearers of the gospel is indeed often affecting, and leads to ferious meditation on the depths of the divine counfels. Suffer ine to befpeak the readers of this clafs in the following terms. Are not many of you a wonder to yourselves, as well as to one another? Is not your danger often pointed out to you in the clearest manner? Is not your character drawn and diftinguished by the most undeniable marks ? Are not your duty and intereft set before you fuch a manner, that it cannot be contradicted, and there is nothing left to reply? And yet after all, though there may be fome weak or temporary refolutions, it is without any real or lafting effect. Doth not this ratify and confirm the following paffage of fcripture? Who then.

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is Paul, and who is Apollos, but minifters by "whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos wa*tered,

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tered, but God gave the increase. So then, "neither is he that planteth any thing, neither "he that watereth, but God that giveth the "increase *.

To abfent altogether from the ordinances of God is a dreadful and dangerous thing, for it leads directly to a ftate of total blindnefs and undisturbed fecurity. I have often thought, however, that the cafe of many who continue to give their attendance is much more wonderful. Are there not habitual drunkards often seen in the houfe of God? Are there not fome prophane fwearers often feen in the house of God? Are there not fome who walk in the luft of uncleannefs fome who retain, without reftitution, unrighteous gain, whom approaching death, the wrath of God, and the fire of hell cannot terrify? Of fuch, we may juftly fay with the apostle Paul," But if our gospel be hid, it is "hid to them that are loft, in whom the God "of this world hath blinded the minds of them "which believe not, left the light of the glorious "gofpel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould fhine unto them +."

Let it be further confidered, how much providential warnings are generally defpifed, even when they are fo awful in their nature, and fo clear in their meaning, that one would think † 2 Cor. iv, 3, 4.

• i Cor, iii, 5, 6, 7.

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nothing but an abfolute infatuation could prevent their effect. Sinners may keep themselves from hearing the word of God, and from any fuch reading or converfation as will bring eternity in their view. But he vifits them in their families or in their perfons, and they cannot fly from these terrible things in righteousness, by which he pleads his caufe from day to day. Are not the young and beautiful foon carried to their graves? Are not the great and noble foon, humbled in the duft? Have not fenfuality and riot, impurity and luft, flain their victims, and raised up monuments fraught with moral inftruction in every age? How long is it ago fince Solomon faid, "Whoredom and wine, and "new wine, take away the heart?" And of a harlot," She hath caft down many wounded, "and many strong men have been flain by her. "Her houfe is the way to hell, going down to "the chambers of death *. But though uninfpired writers have faid this as well as he ; nay, though it is vifible to all, have men become wife? Have they fhunned the paths of the destroyer? No we may juftly fay of the prefent times, as the Pfalmift David faid many ages ago, "This their way is their folly; yet their pofterity approve their fayings +." Nothing,

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* Prov. vii. 26, 27.

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† Pf. xlix. 13.

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nothing will change them, till the Spirit of God roufe and awaken the confcience, powerfully conftrain the will, and effectually renew the heart.

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Hence then it appears, that the new birth is a fupernatural change; " it is the effect of the power of God; it is the work of the Holy Ghost. I have been at the more pains to establifh this truth, because I am perfuaded, that until it be truly received, there may be a form, but there can be nothing of the power of godlinefs. But we must now vindicate it from the objections and abuse, to which it may be thought liable. There are many who ftill harbour in their minds, and fometimes produce in converfation, the objection mentioned by the apostle Paul; "Thou wilt fay then unto me, Why "doth he yet find fault, for who hath refifted

his will?" This, indeed, is the fum of all the objections that ever were, or ever can be offered against it and I make the short answer of the fame apostle; "Nay, but O man! who "art thou that replieft against God?" This is but making or imagining an inconfiftency between two things, both of which God hath clearly established and infeparably joined in his word. Thefe are, his own power neceffary to the change, and our duty in the ufe of the *Rom. ix. 19.

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means; or rather, our fin while continuing at enmity with him, and refufing his mercy.

I make no fcruple to acknowledge, that it is impoffible for me; nay, I find no difficulty in fuppofing, that it is impoffible for any finite mind to point out the bounds between the "dependence" and "activity" of the creature. But though we must ever remember, that it is he alone who can "bring a clean thing out of an unclean," yet we know also, that "all have finned and come "fhort of the glory of God." We know that "God will be just when he speaketh, and clear "when he judgeth:" that he rejects with difdain, the imputation of being the author of fin. "Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am "tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted "of evil, neither tempteth he any man." For our greater affurance of this, he hath condefcended to confirm it by his oath. "As I "live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleasure "in the death of the wicked, but that the "wicked turn from his way and live: turn "ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why "will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael +?" The connexion between this and the former truth appears plainly in the following paffage: "Ye "will not come unto me, that ye might have "life t."

* James i. 13. + Ezek. xxxiii. 27.

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John v. 40.

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