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lowest and the highest state of religion. It includes its commencement, its progress, and its perfection. It is the seed or principle implanted by the Spirit of God in all the elect, from which all the effects and fruits of true religion arise and grow. It is a principle which man does not bring with him into the world; but which is subsequently communicated to him by the Holy Spirit. Hence every infant who is saved, undergoes this change, not merely of state but of nature; and has the principle of regeneration infused into his soul by the Spirit of God. For all are born in sin and are by nature destitute of regeneration, as is evidently implied by the term. Hence also, our blessed Lord says, "Except one (every human being) be born again, he cannot see nor enter into the kingdom of God." But the infant, under the Christian dispensation, cannot manifest the effects of religion by repentance, faith, and holiness, as being physically incapable of it, any more than the infant Jew (who was commanded expressly to be circumcised) could manifest "the righteousness of faith," of which circumcision was the sign and seal. On the other hand, in the adult and ripened Christian, regeneration produces deliverance from the dominion of sin, faith in Christ, victory over the world, &c. &c. as stated in the sermon.

If it should be considered that the doctrine of regeneration occupies too large a proportion of space in this sermon, the author's apology is, that he considers it a subject that ought to be thoroughly understood by the members of the church of England. It has, of late years, been a subject of much controversy among some of the ministers of the established church, and the controversy should never be relinquished till the truth is established. Many in the present age, both among the clergy and laity, are not sufficiently acquainted with the subject. To some it is a stumbling-block, and by others it is misunderstood. The author was himself once in the number of those to whom he alludes. But he has for many years been convinced that the doctrine of the church of England on this subject is a branch of "the faith once delivered to the saints."

SERMON IX.

THE GENERAL JUDGMENT.

HE HATH

ACTS xvii. 31.

APPOINTED A DAY, IN THE WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THAT MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED; WHEREOF HE HATH GIVEN ASSURANCE UNTO ALL MEN, IN THAT HE HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.

OBJECTS which are very great in themselves, are infinitely diminished in our ideas by their distance. The stars are immensely large bodies; but they seem so small to us that we may cover them with a mere point. The reason of their minute appearance `to us arises from the immeasurable intervening space. Distance of time affects our minds in the same way as distance of space. We know that we shall die; but the certainty of the event, because of its fancied remoteness, does not forcibly affect our minds. we were assured that our earthly career would terminate before the setting of another sun, how would the importance of this summons into eternity be magnified, in proportion to its nearness! As we postpone in our imagination the period of death, so

If

Believers, as well as others, have been guilty of numberless transgressions of the law; and therefore they cannot be justified by it, for "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified." If therefore it should be asserted, that they, as well as others, will be judged by the law, they will be completely acquitted, because the law has been fulfilled for them by Christ their mystical head. They have transgressed the law; but it is no contradiction to assert they have also fulfilled it. In themselves, personally considered, they have transgressed it in Christ, mystically considered as "the members of his body, of his flesh, and his bones," they have fulfilled it. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth ;" and "God sending his own son in the flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." But in whatever point of view we look on the subject, it must be admitted that the law allows no mitigation, it admits nothing short of constant and sinless perfection; it knows nothing of repentance or new obedience; and therefore every human being must be condemned by it in the judgment, unless the obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ, the surety and substitute of his people, be imputed to him and placed to his account. Interested in him, the accuser of the law, of conscience, and of Satan, "the accusation of the brethren," may all be silenced. Christ has died, and by his obedience unto death has brought in an everlasting righteousness. Every believer, therefore, though judged by the law,

II. The character of the Judge, and the manner

of his appearance.

III. The persons to be judged, and the proceedings that will take place in relation to their trial.

I. The first part of the subject is the certainty of the appointment of the general judgment.

"God hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness." The certainty of this appointment is evident; and it may be argued from reason, from the testimony of Scripture, and from the fact of Christ's resurrection.

1. That there will be a general judgment, may be argued from reason.

It is not asserted that reason would have discovered this doctrine, any more than many other of the doctrines revealed in the word of God. But it having once been made known by revelation from the Deity, it is so consonant to the principle of reason in the human mind, that its certainty may be forcibly argued on this ground. Reason assures us that the rectitude, justice, and goodness of God require a judgment; because these attributes of the Deity require that it should be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked. But it is evident that this is far from being universally the case in the present world. We frequently see wickedness exalted and righteousness depressed. Religion is trodden under foot, while irreligion triumphs. This is a fact which, hitherto, has been common to all ages of the world. Hence our Lord taught his followers, in the days of his incarnation, that if they would be his disciples indeed,

the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Here, therefore, will be found the names of all the people of God-of those who will actually be brought to glory-the chosen of the Father, the redeemed of the Son, the sanctified of the Holy Ghost. Here will be recorded the name of every true believer in Jesus,— of every one who has been convinced of his sin, who has been enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, who has come to him for salvation, and who has evidenced the reality of his faith by his life and conversation. Here are inserted the names of millions of infants, included in the election of grace; for "of such is the kingdom of God." Here will be inscribed the names of all whom the God of all grace has purposed to recover from the ruins of the fall, from the death of righteous Abel to the end of the world. In fact, this book discovers to us the perfect knowledge which God has of all those on whom he intends to bestow eternal life, and whom he has, from before the foundation of the world, registered as members of the general assembly and church of the first-born who are written in heaven. These having been prepared by divine grace for a state of everlasting glory and felicity, are now about to be made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

(3.) A third particular of importance in the proceedings of the great day, is, that we should consider who will be the witnesses against the accused.

The scripture warrants us to conceive of witnesses to prove the facts alleged against the guilty.

But

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